Suteil groaned as sharp pain coursed through his body. His mind was in chaos, and his vision blurred.
"Where the hell am I?" he muttered, forcing himself to focus. "What is this place? Damn… why does it hurt so bad?"
If he hadn't modified his body to withstand extreme conditions, he would have died instantly. He took several deep breaths, calming his thoughts.
Looking around, he quickly realized—this was not his planet. Massive, towering trees surrounded him, their dark silhouettes stretching endlessly into the eerie forest. A heavy, ominous atmosphere filled the air.
"This place… it's dangerous," he noted, his instincts kicking in. He was well-versed in survival. The first rule: never let the wind carry your scent—it could attract predators. The second: prioritize finding clean water and shelter before thinking about food. And lastly, be aware of your surroundings.
Moving cautiously, he navigated the dense forest, making as little noise as possible. Then, a thought struck him.
"My EvoMind AI!" His heart pounded. "Evo, are you there?"
Silence.
"Come on, don't tell me it shut down after my body melted..." His stomach dropped. "Wait. My mind chip... it melted too? What the hell?! Just how much worse can this day get?!"
Suppressing his frustration, he shifted priorities. Shelter first—then, he could think about how to extract information from any people he met. A sinister smile crept onto his face.
"Heh… I am the so-called mad scientist. Brainwashing, altering memories… this might be the perfect time to put my theories into practice."
Before continuing, he needed to check his condition. Leaning against a tree, he closed his eyes and entered his mind realm.
What he saw shocked him.
Dark energy coiled through his body, fusing with the familiar white energy he had always possessed. The two forces clashed and intertwined, merging into something new.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind.
"Master, I am Evo. Ready to serve you, sir."
Suteil's eyes widened. "What the hell is happening now?"
A strange-looking chip materialized in his mindscape.
"Evo, explain!"
"Sir, your body was destroyed when you left Planet Rey. Upon arriving on this new world, I used the opportunity to reconstruct a new vessel by fusing the two energies within you. Thus, your new body was created."
A burst of laughter escaped Suteil's lips. "Hahahaha! This is great! Now I won't be alone—"
But then, he felt another presence. No—two.
"Hello there," a voice called out.
Two figures stood before him—one radiating pure white light, the other cloaked in shadows.
Suteil tensed. "Who… are you?"
The dark figure chuckled. "Don't be afraid. We simply reside within your body."
The white figure nodded. "Yes, and we have no intention of harming you. We helped reconstruct your body, and you will benefit from our presence."
Suteil clenched his fists. "Am I dealing with demons that want to devour me, or something far worse?"
The two figures merely smiled, their unreadable expressions making his skin crawl.
Shaking off the unease, he focused back on his body's condition.
"Evo, how am I physically?"
"All your cells have stabilized, sir. However, there is an anomaly—an unknown form of energy, something that did not exist on Planet Rey."
"New energy?" Suteil's eyes gleamed. "Interesting."
He exited his mindscape and stood up, determined to find civilization.
After walking for some time, he spotted something—a horse-drawn carriage traveling along a dirt path.
"Yes! People!"
But a new problem arose—he was completely naked, with nothing but a few leaves covering him.
Just then, the dark energy spoke again. "Use my power. I can create something from thin air—but don't get cocky, you're still weak."
Suteil smirked. "Let's see if this works."
In an instant, his body was clothed—a simple tunic and pants at first. But then he grinned.
"Why stop there?"
His clothes transformed into a warrior's suit, complete with a long sword strapped to his back.
"Hahaha… This is too easy," he mused, testing his newfound ability.
Next, he focused on something more complicated—a glove infused with thousands of micro-transistors, a tool that could manipulate minds. And just like that, it appeared on his hand.
"Perfect. With this, I can 'convince' people to give me information."
As the carriage neared, he stepped onto the road, raising a hand.
A grizzled old man, dressed in leather and with deep wrinkles on his face, pulled the reins, stopping the horses.
"Sir," the old man said, eyeing him with curiosity. "You walk alone in the Magenta Forest? Only the strongest warriors dare to do so. More people in the carriage would be safer for the journey. Hop in."
Suteil smiled inwardly.
"Yes… my bait has arrived."
Stepping into the carriage, he found himself face-to-face with two men and two women inside. One of the men gestured to an empty seat.
"You can sit here."
Suteil sat down, already plotting.
He needed to lead the conversation and gather as much information as possible.
Smiling politely, he asked,
"May I know all of your names?"