"Ah... ah... damn, I'm exhausted..." Adam muttered, his tongue hanging out as he gasped for air. His body slowly reverted to its natural state, the fiery transformation fading. The rocky armor melted away, and the glowing lines across his body dimmed and vanished, leaving him in his usual human form.
Around him lay the bodies of three defeated monsters, their charred remains scattered across the ground. The signs of fire were evident on their corpses—most of their bodies burned, with some parts reduced to ashes. The battlefield was littered with debris, and the marks of the intense combat were etched into the earth.
After two hours of relentless hunting, Adam felt utterly drained. However, he had gained valuable insights into his abilities. Sitting on the ground, catching his breath amidst the monsters he had taken down, Adam noticed something crucial.
"Alright... now I get it. Energy plays a huge role," he murmured, his eyes fixed on the energy bar displayed below his health bar. The energy bar was filled with a faint yellow light and had been depleting steadily during his transformation.
"If the energy bar runs out... the transformation ends automatically," he realized, nodding to himself as he processed the implications of this newfound understanding.
Another thing Adam noticed was that his stats changed significantly during his transformation. When transformed, his attributes increased dramatically: strength, speed, and defense all became much higher. For instance, if his strength was 10 before the transformation, it would rise to 15 during it. The same applied to speed and defense, with his abilities gaining a considerable boost.
However, when the transformation ended, the stats reverted to their original state. His strength would return to 10.
Adam recalled what Kath had explained about monsters and how they were classified by levels. According to that explanation, there were initially three levels for each evolution stage.
When a monster reached Level 3, it evolved to become a "Commander". At this stage, monsters began to display glowing lines across their bodies, reflecting their enhanced strength.
After reaching Level 6, a monster became a "Leader", undergoing a significant boost in its unique powers. At Level 9, a monster was termed a "King", showcasing immense power and dominance.
Finally, when a monster reached Level 12, it attained the title of "Emperor", the pinnacle of strength. Monsters at these levels possessed extraordinary abilities and were considered the most formidable of all.
Adam summoned the system before him, and the familiar data screen appeared.
Level: 11
Experience Points: 560 / 0
Strength: 5
Speed: 10
Defense: 10
Energy: 10
Adam noticed that health points didn't require distribution like the other stats—they increased automatically with each level up.
Moving with deliberate steps, he stood in front of a large tree. He crouched down briefly, then leapt high into the air, easily grabbing hold of one of the thick branches. The ease with which he swung himself up displayed his impressive physical strength, even in his human form.
Perched comfortably on the wide branch, he leaned back, hands behind his head, gazing up at the blue sky scattered with clouds. Thoughts began to swirl in his mind, and he silently wondered, "How strong am I now?"
Summoning the system again, the familiar screens appeared before him. This time, he navigated to the Transformations tab. His current transformations were displayed clearly, with shaded silhouettes of locked ones beside them. Beneath each locked transformation was a small note: "To unlock this transformation, spend the required points."
Closing the system, Adam shut his eyes briefly, allowing a clear thought to surface in his mind:
"I'll focus on unlocking another transformation soon. It might be a smart move to expand my options."
*******************************************
Deep within the forest, amidst towering trees and air heavy with the scent of damp earth, lay the village of the transformed gorilla tribe. The village was bustling with activity, yet devoid of any vitality. Half of the gorillas were engrossed in village tasks—lifting stones, constructing huts, and meticulously clearing the ground—while the other half were absent, stationed in the ruined city surrounding the old laboratory.
All the gorillas shared the same unnerving appearance: their eyes gleamed with a strange symbol, one that radiated an aura of total control. Their faces were void of any expression, resembling blank masks that signified absolute obedience. They moved like programmed machines, leaving no room for error or hesitation.
Throughout the village, the atmosphere was eerily silent despite the constant motion. The sounds of construction and material transport were the only noises, yet they felt like parts of a mechanical system. No one spoke; no one paused. Overhead, the setting sun cast its amber glow, throwing elongated shadows over the gorillas' synchronized movements. It was a haunting harmony, like a dominant hive controlling every corner of the village.
In one of the abandoned houses near the gorillas engrossed in their construction, Adam's doppelgänger sat silently, his body glowing with pulsating red lines. The system interface hovered before him, but its screen displayed a strange, flickering distortion. The system itself was under attack.
The doppelgänger, relentless in his attempts to breach the system, was meticulously probing for every vulnerability. His initial attempts were unsuccessful, but each failure brought him closer to his goal. The screen stuttered and scrambled, the data flickering chaotically with each attempt, until the system grew increasingly unstable.
As the relentless attacks continued, the system began to behave erratically. Instead of shutting down or displaying warning messages, random commands and fragmented data started scattering across the interface. The doppelgänger sharpened his focus, his eyes fixated on the evolving chaos. With a mixture of calculated precision and an almost predatory instinct, he finally pierced through the system's core defenses.
In a moment of triumph, a new window materialized before him—a sleek and ominous interface showcasing the fully unlocked "Black Star Suit". The screen glowed with an aura of immense power, reflecting the doppelgänger's satisfaction as he stared at the ultimate prize now within his grasp.
This was a pivotal moment. The system was deeply destabilized by Adam's doppelgänger's breach, and the flickering windows reflected the chaos he had unleashed. Yet, amidst this turmoil, he remained focused on the unfolding power before him.
While exploring the newfound abilities granted by his conquest of the system, he sensed movement in the distance. Turning sharply, he saw one of the gorillas approaching him. The gorilla carried a captured beast that writhed violently, its roars echoing through the silent village.
Adam's doppelgänger ceased his interaction with the system and moved toward the gorilla. His glowing red lines pulsed rhythmically as he placed his hand on the struggling creature. A surge of energy emanated from his body, enveloping the beast. The doppelgänger entered a state of intense concentration, his presence overpowering. Slowly, the beast's resistance waned, and it fell silent, its movements stilled. Its eyes began to glow faintly, now marked with the unique symbol: three concentric circles, the outermost adorned with three parallel lines extending outward like precise geometric wings.
One by one, the gorillas approached with other captured creatures, presenting them to him. Each beast underwent the same process. The doppelgänger, unyielding in his efforts, placed them under his control. By the end of the ritual, a small army of creatures stood before him, their eyes glowing with the same ominous symbol, signifying their complete subjugation.
As he surveyed his new forces, Adam's doppelgänger stood with quiet authority. The gorillas gathered around him, their body language exuding respect and submission. With an almost imperceptible nod, he acknowledged their allegiance, preparing to give his next command.