Chapter 4
...….
[Ding! You have absorbed 0.039 (G2) Energy from 3 RNA Molecules!]
[Ding! You have absorbed 0.037 (G2) Energy from 3 RNA Molecules!]
[Ding! You have absorbed 0.042 (G2) Energy from 3 RNA Molecules!]
[Ding! You have absorbed 0.035 (G2) Energy from 3 RNA Molecules!]
Astaroth was satisfied with these results, so satisfied in fact that he got lost in time and continued to absorb everything that his extended slimy tendrils could get their hands on!
Though he wasn't exactly absorbing them in the traditional manner, like a certain overpowered slime, it was still good enough to make his absorption process look pretty cool.
But then again, all living beings tended to yearn for more than they had, and Astaroth was no exception to that rule. Therefore, it wasn't too surprising that he concealed a part of himself that wished to stretch out and assimilate things like a true slime-like protagonist…
"A protagonist… What does that word even mean? Once again, it sounds like a tasty snack…"
In the back of his mind, Astaroth was unknowingly starting to see everything as something to eat. Not knowing why this was happening, he simply discarded the matter altogether and got back to munching on the RNA Molecules.
[Ding! You have absorbed 0.037 (G2) Energy from 3 RNA Molecules!]
[Ding! You have absorbed 0.039 (G2) Energy from 3 RNA Molecules!]
[Ding! You have absorbed 0.034 (G2) Energy from 3 RNA Molecules!]
[Ding! You have absorbed 0.038 (G2) Energy from 3 RNA Molecules!]
[Ding! You have…]
After thousands of these system notifications rang out inside his head, Astaroth realized that this might take a while.
And just as he expected, more than ten minutes went by, and he still hadn't made a breakthrough in his Energy Level and Evolution Stage…
"Ai… Even though I am thousands of times the size of an RNA Molecule, I'm still not even a tenth the size of those massive things up there…"
While staring up in his slimy form, Astaroth quickly understood the vast difference between heaven and earth.
If not for the huge size increases that came with each level up, it was very likely that he would not be able to reach their size even if he went at it for weeks. After all, even with his size being vastly superior to the other RNA Molecules, he couldn't yet make use of his large size in order to speed up the absorption process.
It was a tad bit silly that his size meant next to nothing, but it was what it was in Astaroth's opinion.
Being a very laid-back dude, there wasn't much that could shake him. And with this just serving as a minor inconvenience, he set it to the side and resumed his energy absorption spree.
After another forty or so minutes of going at it, Astaroth finally reached a point where he was just a few energy away from his next evolution.
[Ding! You have absorbed 0.039 (G2) Energy from 3 RNA Molecules!]
[Ding! You have absorbed 0.035 (G2) Energy from 3 RNA Molecules!]
[Ding! You have absorbed enough energy to commence your next level-up!]
[Ding! Would you like to go through with the Evolution Stage Rank-up and Energy Level-up?]
"Umu…? I get an opinion on the matter…? How interesting…"
Though intrigued by this sudden option to decide for himself, Astaroth gave his confirmation and proceeded with the Energy Overflow.
BLING!
The light produced from his dazzling iridescent Energy Overflow was great enough that it blinded the entire Molecular Void Sphere!
As Astaroth's slimy body rapidly expanded and covered everything in view, the manipulation of his size eventually came to an abrupt close. Opening his 'eyes', he saw a world similar to the Molecular Void Sphere. With wiggling organisms and a large array of diverse colors flowing throughout the world, it was just as breathtaking as the Molecular Void Sphere.
Bringing up his system interface, this was what the system had to say about both himself and this new world.
BLING!
—-------
{[Infinite Energy System]}
[Host: Astaroth]
[Evolution Stage: Prokaryote] - [1.54/10,000 (G2)]
[Evolution Area: Singularity Biome]
[Energy Level: 4] - [1.54/10,000 (G2)]
[Energy Storage: 1.02/1.2 (G2)] (Rapidly restoring)
{[Current Energy Abilities:]}
[Level 0 Ability: (Minor Spatial Movement), (Minor Energy Absorption)]
[Level 1 Ability: (Minor Spatial Displacement), (Minor Energy Flow)]
[Level 2 Ability: (Omni-Directional Movement), (Greater Energy Flow)]
[Level 3 Ability: (Magnetic Levitation), (Multi-Target Energy Absorption), (Super Energy Flow)]
[Level 4 Ability: (Fully directional Levitation), (Mega Energy Flow), (Full-Body Absorption)]
—-------
"!!!"
Ignoring everything else on the system interface, the only thing Astaroth seemed to be attracted to was the 'Full-Body Absorption' ability. Even with his limited knowledge of everything in this life of his, he knew exactly what this meant!
And as if foreshadowing had done all the work for our intrepid protagonist, he activated the ability and realized that his speculations had come to pass!
GAZORP!
With one massive expansion of his slimy body, Astaroth was able to just barely cover the wiggling single-celled organisms in front of him. Taking the clueless thing by surprise, he went through with the next step of the ability and absorbed all the energy contained within the prokaryote!
[Ding! You have absorbed 1.52 (G2) Energy from a Single-Celled Prokaryote!]
[Ding! You have utilized the ability that allows you to absorb any existence as long as you are of equal or greater energy mass. P.S. Energy mass is the total energy contained within everything in the universe. In layman's terms, it is similar to a 'Power Level']
[Ding! The power level of the Prokaryote you just absorbed was 1.52 (G2). On the other hand, yours was 1.54 (G2). However, after absorbing the Prokaryote, your Power Level has increased to 3.06 (G2)]
[Ding! In case the host was curious, the energy measurement system did not function in this way before reaching the Singularity Biome. But now, you have truly stepped on the first stone of evolution and life. All the host needs to do is continue evolving and never stop evolving…]
"Ahh… That was quite the detailed explanation, and the little pep talk at the end was quite nice. Thanks, system."
Silence.
No response came from the system, but considering that it wasn't sentient, Astaroth paid no heed and went back to absorbing the prokaryotes that populated the Singularity Biome.
The Singularity Biome was the layer of space right above the Molecular Void Sphere, and it was also a place mostly inhabited by existences called 'Single-Celled Organisms.'
This could be considered the actual beginning of the evolution chain, and it was also where the true evolution grind began for Astaroth.
—--------
While absorbing both Bacteria and Archaea, which were Prokaryotes, Astaroth was obtaining more and more energy mass with each passing second.
With both |Full-Body Absorption| and |Multi-Target Energy Absorption| in full circulation, his body split up into three stretching pieces of slime.
They all absorbed tens of thousands of prokaryotes each second, and that number was only exponentially growing. After all, Astaroth's energy mass, and subsequently, his body mass, were becoming ridiculously massive.
He didn't really keep track of his Power Level, but with his energy requirement indicator as a reference, he learned that it was already over 100 (G2)!
It had only been a few seconds since he arrived in this world, and he was already past the 100 (G2) Power Level milestone!
If he wasn't OP, then who was OP!?
"Ahh… Eating my brethren like this… It doesn't count as cannibalism, does it? I mean, it's not like I can taste what I'm gobbling up…"
It almost looked like an oddly human-like face would form on the center mass of the massive prokaryote, but before it could fully materialize, it splashed back into the rest of its body.
Not even having realized that this happened, Astaroth was far too preoccupied with looking up at the enormous prokaryote that he had been trying to surpass in size since he got here. Originally, it looked like nothing short of a world to him, but now it only seemed like a rather tall building.
In other words, he was this close to surpassing the rival that had been taunting him with its largeness for the last few minutes!
"I don't know why I want to be bigger, but I assure you that I will be the biggest!"
For some odd reason, Astaroth became a little fired up over competing against his first opponent!
However, after another half a minute, he passed the 200 (G2) mark and absorbed enough that he was marginally larger than his rival was…
"Being overpowered… It's no fun…"
Even though Astaroth bemoaned his fate as someone simply built differently, that didn't stop him from slurping up his rival like a raindroplet.
[Ding! You have absorbed 210 (G2) Energy from a Greater Prokaryote!]
"Ai… I'm kind of sad now that my rival is gone… Welp, time to go back to feasting…"
Without remorse and bereft of hesitation, Astaroth thanked his rival for the substantial increase in size and then went back to the glutton lifestyle.
{[Info on new Abilities]}
[Level 4 Abilities:]
[Fully directional Levitation] - (Improved version of Level 3 (Magnetic Levitation). Allows for easy travel in the Singularity Biome.)
[Mega Energy Flow] - (x18 increase in energy absorption speed)
[Full-body absorption] (Allows the host to utilize his exceptional body mass in order to better absorb other organisms.)
[Current Energy Absorption Boost: x36 times x18 = x648]
...…