Then, a spark of awareness reignited.
..
[SYSTEM INITIALIZATION… SUCCESSFUL.]
[Binding Host to the Cell Evolution Interface.]
[Welcome, Host. You have been granted another chance. Rebirth begins in 3… 2… 1…]
Cell awoke, but he could not see, hear, or feel anything. All that existed was the profound sensation of being. His thoughts were intact, his consciousness sharp, but his physical existence was alien.
"What… happened? Where am I?"
Suddenly, a mechanical voice resonated in his mind:
[Welcome, Host. You have been reincarnated as a primordial lifeform , a single cell. Your objective is to evolve and unlock higher forms of existence.]
[Your starting form is fragile, but through energy acquisition and genetic adaptation, you may ascend. Do you wish to proceed?]
"Reincarnated? As a cell? You've got to be kidding me. But… if this is real, maybe it's an opportunity."
[Acknowledged. Beginning tutorial.]
Cell became aware of his surroundings—not through sight or touch, but through a strange, instinctual awareness. He floated in a viscous fluid teeming with energy particles.
"This feeling is so weird..I can't see anything, this is bullshit." Cell thought.
[Energy detected. Absorb to initiate evolution.]
Focusing his will, Cell reached out, his membrane pulsating as he absorbed a nearby energy particle. A rush of warmth coursed through his tiny form.
[Energy absorbed: +1.]
[Ability unlocked: Basic Sight.]
Cell's awareness expanded as his membrane shifted, forming rudimentary light-sensitive structures. Blurry shapes and dim lights entered his perception.
"Incredible… I can see! If I can do this, then there's no limit to what I can achieve."
[Tutorial Complete. Accessing Evolution Menu.]
A holographic interface appeared in his mind, displaying his current stats:
Form: Cell
Phase: 0
Energy: 1/15
Abilities: Basic Absorption, Basic Sight
Next Unlock: 5 Energy
Below the stats, a list of potential upgrades glimmered faintly, each requiring a different amount of energy:
[Basic Locomotion(Flagellum) (5 Energy)
Defensive Membrane (10 Energy)
Primitive Sensory Perception (Touch)(15 Energy)
...
(Locked..unlock to read)]
Eager to grow, Cell began absorbing energy particles from his surroundings. With each particle consumed, his confidence grew. He was no longer bound by his weak, human body. Here, in this new world, he had a chance to reshape his destiny.
Hours—or perhaps days—passed. Cell's energy reserves swelled, and the system prompted him with his first major evolution.
[Energy threshold met. Would you like to unlock Basic Locomotion(Flagellum)?]
"Movement… the ability to go wherever I want? Let's do it."
The process began, and Cell's body transformed. Tiny appendages in the form of a tail formed, allowing him to propel himself through the fluid. The newfound freedom exhilarated him.
"This is just the beginning. I'll become more than a human, more than a god. I'll become perfection itself."
Cell continued to slowly absorb more energy, by constantly watching his Stats, he figured out the absorption rate, about 1 energy every 1 hour, but sitting in one place was too risky at his current pace.
In the distance, he could see a micro-organism, about 10 times his size, the ancestor, a prokaryote.
"Shit, I'm tiny compared to a prokaryote, I might be in a puddle for all I know".
"I have to cultivate fast."
Cell absorbed more energy particles, notifications popping off..when suddenly he was interrupted by his first adversary, a small Cell, smaller than him, in modern world standard size, it would be on par with a virus's size.
[Energy threshold met. Would you like to unlock Defensive Membrane?]
"Good timing"
A small membrane starting forming around cell's body, creating a soft barrier and increasing his environment defense.
The small cell approached Cell's location, floating blindly in the liquid.
"If you disturb me, I'll get rid of you"
Cell twisted around, approaching the small cell thoughtfully.
When the small cell arrived, Cell bumped into its body as hard as he could.
Although the process happened almost instantly, Cell felt his existence almost crumbling away.
"This feeling..I am not able to feel pain, but I can feel the crack in the membrane, my insides almost losing their form"
[Warning! User is in critical state!
Tip:Absorb more energy to increase recovery rate]
The other's cell situation was way worser. It crumbled away, similar to an egg cracking. Around its body, Cell could feel a lot of energy particles. Without waiting the opportunity to pass, Cell started to absorb immediatly.
[+1 Energy Absorbed]
[+1 Energy Absorbed]
[+1 Energy Absorbed]
[+1 Energy Absorbed]
[+1 Energy Absorbed]
"Hmm, I absorbed 5 energy from such a small lifeform? It seems like preying on others is faster than slowly growing, but it is too risky right now, I should unlock more abilities before my next hunt".
Some time quickly passed. As Cell absorbed more and more energy, the interface popped out again:
[Energy threshold met. Would you like to unlock Basic Sensory Perception(Touch)?]
Cell suddenly started to feel the liquid he was swimming in, it seemed viscous, probably because of his size.
"Evolution through the system is a shortcut, speeding up the process of nature, but the energy is finite, I wonder now that I unlocked all the thresholds what is going to happen"
[Ding....Host has successfuly passed Phase 0- Singularity
Initiating Phase 1- Multi-organism.]
[Form: Cell
Phase: 1
Energy: 1/100
Abilities: Basic Absorption, Basic Sight, Flagellum, Membrane
Next Unlock: 25 Energy
Cellular Duplication (25 Energy)
Vibration Sensory System (35 Energy)
Photosynthesis (50 Energy)
Predatory Appendage (75 Energy)
Cell Fuse( 100 Energy)
"Hmm..at first glance, duplicating sounds dumb, but its potential is the greatest out of all of those abilities, if someone kills me, I still have cells left, but the better question, can I cultivate from all the different cells?" Cell desired his strength to grow, this was his opportunity.
A second chance at life, but this time, he had an advantage, although he didn't know where he was, he had knowledge of micro-organisms and their weaknesses.
Cell started absorbing energy with no delay.. after some time, the light around him started to fade..
"What? Night? But if I correctly calculate the energy I have gathered so far, about 4 days should have passed, is this time distortion or the world has a different timeframe altogether."
"This may mean I'm not on Earth anymore.."