Alypos stirred awake, and the first thing he noticed was the deep, oppressive darkness surrounding him. He lay still, feeling the cold, hard ground beneath his body, his trusty spear beside him. Every muscle was unusually tense yet powerful, and as he rose, an unexpected surge of strength nearly sent him stumbling. He steadied himself, a surprised realization washing over him.
"It seems I've broken through…" he muttered to himself, faintly intrigued. Sitting back down, he closed his eyes and reached inward, diving into the depths of his soul.
Within that sacred inner realm, he saw them: three cores suspended in the abyss. The blue and green cores were familiar, signifying his affinities for water and life. But there was a new core now—an orange one, glowing with a fierce, steady light. This was the mark of his ascension to the E- rank. He observed his cores carefully. They'd grown, becoming more intricate, and were filled almost to the brim with a liquid-like energy. Was this fullness a reflection of his talent or perhaps a sign that he was nearing a limit?
Drawing himself back to reality, he exhaled slowly, entering a state of meditation. He could feel every fiber within his body—muscles, skin, heart, brain—all woven together with greater resilience, power, and flexibility. Normally, this introspective scan would take him around ten minutes, but now his mind processed it in half the time. His physical form was altered too. His hair, once only down to his shoulders, now cascaded all the way to his tailbone, a rippling cyan that reminded him of waves under moonlight. He ran his hand through it, feeling the cool strands. They felt foreign, yet there was something reassuring in their texture.
Finally, he took a look around. Shadows clung to every surface, but his enhanced sight allowed him to make out his surroundings. He appeared to be in an underground forest, a hidden world beneath the surface. Alypos recalled his fall—how he'd plunged into the dark chasm while facing that monstrous gorilla. He must have hit the water below, which had saved him from certain death. It seemed the planet itself was still evolving, creating new passages and realms under the earth. Was he lucky or cursed to have ended up here?
A flicker of movement caught his attention. Turning, he saw Nibbles dragging a deer carcass toward him, its small body showing unexpected strength and determination. Upon seeing Alypos awake, the little creature squealed in delight and dashed over, hopping onto his shoulder. Nibbles nestled against him, squeaking happily, clearly relieved. Alypos reached up, patting the squirrel's head in gratitude. It seemed his tiny companion had not only rescued him from the water but also provided food and protected him during his unconsciousness.
Looking around the forest floor, Alypos noticed the evidence of Nibbles' battles. Ten grotesque creatures—twisted forms that looked like mutated animals—lay scattered around, lifeless. He raised an eyebrow, impressed. Nibbles wasn't the same harmless creature he'd once found; the mana-rich environment had clearly affected it too. Alypos regarded Nibbles, who only stared back at him with an innocent look, and he chuckled quietly. "Looks like you've been busy."
He walked over to the edge of a shallow underground lake, his reflection visible in the water's still surface. The remnants of his shirt were barely clinging to his frame, little more than tattered rags. He tore it off, tossing it aside, and examined himself more closely. His hair flowed to his tailbone now, the cyan color almost luminescent in the dim light. His eyes were as dark as the night sky, an eerie depth lurking within them. His muscles, though lean, were honed and defined. His skin had taken on a paler shade, with his lips showing an unexpected hint of red. He almost looked like…a flower boy, as Marina used to tease. He sighed. That annoying joke had turned into a strange reality.
Despite his appearance, a faint aura emanated from him—a calm but biting pressure, colder than any physical chill. It was a manifestation of his goal and his hatred, frigid and unyielding. He noticed that Nibbles too had developed an aura, one that was bright and warm, like the radiance of the sun. The little creature had ascended as well, reaching the E-rank.
Then came a familiar, mechanical voice, cold and clinical in his mind.
{Host has broken through… New function unlocked: Analyze Feature.}
{Attribute Evolved: Master of Water.}
{True Name: Chains of Liberation.}
{Current Name: Alypos Ilias (????th reincarnation)}
{Age: 13}
{Rank: F+ → E- / E-}
{Affinities: Water (100%), Life (100%), Death (70%), Ice (100%), Lightning (85%), Pain (100%), Soul (80%)}
{Attributes: [Master of Water], [Fated], ???}
{Aspect: Evolution, ???, ???}
{Race: Human (Max: E-)}
{Strength: 9 → 9.8/10 (E-)}
{Agility: 9.2 → 9.8/10 (E-)}
{Constitution: 9 → 9.8/10 (E-)}
{Dexterity: 9.6 → 9.8/10 (E-)}
{Charm: 8.8 → 9.8/10 (E-)}
{Mana: 9.7 → 10/10 (E-)}
{Luck: 4.8 → 7.6/10 (F-)}
{Skills: Water Manipulation Stage 1 (D+), Aqua Healing (E+), Hell Viewing (E)}
{Combat: Flowing Style Level 5 (Quasi-master)}
{Analyze function unlocked: Can analyze creatures within 100 meters of host.}
{Attribute Upgraded: Child of Water has evolved to Master of Water.}
{New Attribute Unlocked: Master of Life.}
{New Aspect Unlocked: Contractual Bond.}
The details scrolled across his mind like lines of a report. As his gaze lingered on his newest attribute, Master of Life, he decided to view its description.
{Master of Life: "Those who bear the mantle of Life are cherished by beings close to nature. They were revered but also envied, and many races sought to hunt them down to claim their powers. How tragic—Mage King Lyll.}
He switched over to the information on Master of Water.
{Master of Water: "Commanders of Water, these beings wield the element with the ease of breathing. Water creatures and the element itself honor them as their master. Reclusive and aligned with nature. They loved nature and beasts more than sentiment beings. they were despised by humans, orcs, vampires, and others—Water Dragon Supreme Erika.}
Finally, he focused on his new aspect, Contractual Bond.
{Contractual Bond: The user may establish up to 3 bonds per rank. Each bond type—Master-Slave, Master-Servant, Equal-Equal, Specific (condition-based), and Person-Environment—has unique advantages and limitations. The greater the specificity, the stronger the bond.}
With this newfound knowledge, he turned his attention to Nibbles. Alypos had long been curious about the little creature and wondered just how much it had changed. "Analyze," he murmured.
{Analyzing… Creature detected. Would you like to proceed?}
"Yes," he confirmed, and the analysis flashed before him.
{Species: Mimic Squirrel (G-/D-)}
{These creatures possess the potential for varied evolutionary paths, shaped by their personalities and elemental exposure.}
{Subspecies: Light Mimic Squirrel (F-/D-)}
{Skills: Light Immunity, Light Release and Absorption, Light Projection, Light Heal.}
{Rank: E- / D-}
Alypos stared at the report in astonishment. Nibbles had somehow surpassed the natural limits of human rank advancement by an entire level. He gazed down at the small creature, who nestled innocently against him, utterly unaware of its extraordinary potential. A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Looks like I've stumbled upon a hidden treasure," he whispered.
The squirrel squeaked in delight, wiggling within his embrace, seemingly oblivious to Alypos's thoughts. Gently, Alypos patted its head, feeling a strange warmth toward his companion.
Standing by the lake, he looked once more into the water, contemplating his reflection. Though he now looked more delicate and refined, appearances didn't matter. The aura he exuded was no less than that of a cold, lethal force. All his powers and affinities served a single purpose—to carve a path toward his ultimate freedom, and he would need all the strength he could gather.
He exhaled, feeling the pulse of his power resonate within his core, solidifying the resolve that had brought him this far. "The world above may be vast and filled with dangers," he murmured, "but I'll be ready. And when I return to the surface, I'll be stronger than ever."
With that, Alypos began to mentally map out his plans. He would explore this underground forest, gather what resources he could, and continue training until he could confidently face anything the surface had to throw at him. But first, he needed to test the limits of his newfound abilities.
As he walked forward, his hand extended, and with a simple flick of his wrist, the water around him began to ripple, rise, and form into an orb before solidifying into ice. The ease with which he wielded it now was astounding. A flicker of pride rose within him. Yes, he had come a long way. But this was only the beginning.
With Nibbles perched proudly on his shoulder, Alypos delved deeper into the forest, his steps echoing with newfound strength and a cold, unyielding resolve that would carry him through any darkness.