I liked the next few chapters, I hope you do as well.
Enjoy!
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Before opening the box, Philip took precautions to protect himself. Despite the Principal's cooperation and believable words, Philip found complete trust difficult.
Unlike others he'd met, about whom he possessed significant knowledge or a least a rudimentary understanding, he knew virtually nothing about the Principal. While this may pass as his usual paranoia, the Principal's potential for deception, given the disparity in their abilities, warranted caution. Therefore, Philip prepared meticulously before opening the box.
Once he felt himself protected with backup plans in line, he pushed the lid open, alert.
/Clack…/
But nothing happened...
"Hm…"
It wasn't the time to drop his guard though. Inside the box, he saw an assortment of items: A ring with a blue crystal embedded into it, a small brown satchel filled with thousands of tiny crystals similar to the one on the ring, two sets of vials of multiple colors.
Some of those vials seemed to be filled with a smooth liquid like water, others were filled with salts...
There was also a letter on top of it all. Containing two simple words:
"Erm… Luxius Ermi?"
/Flash!/
The ring suddenly flashed, almost blinding him… "Urg… Damn, my head."
'Did I trigger a spell? But I didn't notice nor feel anything at all in those words… What was it? A safe code?'
Philip thought of several possibilities while he considered retreating for safety, his head still ringing. But something beat him up to it.
"Took you long enough, young man!"
"Huh?!"
As his vision stabilized, Philip turned his gaze to the box, specifically, towards the ring that was now glowing in a faint purple light.
"What?..."
Did it speak just now?
"I know, this is probably very confusing, it's not every day you see a talking ring."
As the ring spoke, it flickered faintly. It's tone was formal and its voice deep. Quite gentlemanly.
"You…"
"Ah, pardon me for my rudeness… The name bestowed to me is Laplabe. Honored I am to meet you… though, if a name isn't enough, you may also refer to me as… A Mimic!"
"What about you, young man? How may I call you?" Lablabe asked as he flickered slightly
Philip frowned, but he quickly composed himself and replied, "I'm Philip. Philip Vinten… Also known as an... uh… A Hero?"
"… But Mimic?... You mean those..."
The ring flickered, as if thinking deeply, "Ahh... I think we should address this issue first. Yes, I am that kind of creature. But just to be clear, I'm not like other Mimics. I find no pleasure in eating other creatures for sustenance."
"As you can see as well, I have quite the advanced intellect when compared to the others belonging to the same species as me. I consider myself not an intellectual, but a beast I certainly am not."
"As for my background and story, it's pretty simple, although not devoid of memories... I grew under the care of the man you knew as the Principal. Under his guidance, I advanced further than many other Mimics and attained sapience of a much greater level than any of them could ever dream of… If they're even capable of that... It's pitiful, really."
The Mimic then said in a depressed tone, "Prior to his death, I was tasked with a mission… One that I now have the pleasure of completing with you."
Philip frowned and remained silent for a moment, thinking… As he thought, the small letter on his hand transformed as words appeared on it, forming a long message that explained the Mimic's role in his journey ahead.
Once he finished reading, he understood the Principal's intentions, everything had now fallen in place.
"… As you must've read, I'm here to help you. I have a strong connection with the Principal, thus I have a faint idea of where his body is at any given moment."
"I was also raised and trained by him. I'm fully aware of his preferences and requirements. As long as I am with you, I'll be able to see if someone is qualified or not to inherit his will… Of course, only the outermost layer of it."
"Another test would have to be conducted to see if the candidate is indeed fully qualified to do so. Although it'll have to be seen if we'll find someone that fits."
"The Principal was unlucky as while he found distant family members fitting to inherit the craft, their mentality and demeanor was not to his liking… I always found him harsh, but this is a path not just anyone can thread, so its better to avoid putting someone through unnecessary hardships."
"A piece of Trivia, I heard your conversation with his fragment and do think you're qualified to inherit his will, I give you my approval. So if you ever grow tired of looking for someone, you could try the test and see if you pass. After all, why not?"
"You're already here doing his last wishes. Why not go all the way and claim his legacy as well?"
"… So uh… Laplabe… How exactly should I proceed? No, first, how are you even talking?"
"Oh? I didn't expect that question, but it's fairly boring. But for your first question, it's not complicated. Just bring you with me in your travels, leave the task of seeking an apprentice to me."
As he said so, a certain part of the ring glowed brightly, showing a tiny hole, so small that it wasn't visible by the naked Human eye.
"There is a tiny hole I always keep open somewhere in my body. It's meant for me to breathe and also to talk, although don't worry, I can keep my breath for months if necessary. I usually hold a tiny pocket of air within my body just in case something goes wrong."
"And uh... I don't believe I'm saying this but... I don't need to defecate, at least, not in the way you think, so uh... No need to worry about that..." He said awkwardly as his tone shifted
"I'm a living being too, just an unusual one. I can take care of myself just fine."
But Philip felt a bit off… He didn't feel safe carrying a Mimic with him everywhere. He could wear the ring of course, but that also posed a risk…
"I can tell by your emotions that you're feeling conflicted, and I can totally understand your point. I am a dangerous creature, that's for sure, and even though I think Humans are just as dangerous if not worse, there is also the physiological factor."
"Its simpler to trust a handsome Human with a child than an ugly Mimic, even though the Human is a mass murder in disguise, and the Mimic is a completely harmless creature... In that specific instance, Mimics aren't harmless but you got my point."
"..."
Philip did not reply, he was right, at the end of the day, it was a matter of trust.
"Perhaps you aren't aware of our characteristics? Mimics are innately connected with magical forces and our name carries a portion of our innate abilities. To our kind, once we develop a name, be it inherited, given, or created by us, the name helps us hold our intelligence and form wisdom."
"Thus, usually knowing a Mimic's name is enough ground to control them."
Philip frowned, "Is it?... I…" He thought and tried to remember... "Now that you say…"
'There was indeed a passage about that from one of the books I read. Mimics that are given a name they fully heartily accept will fall under the control of whoever knows said name.'
'It's a form of contract, and in the situation where the Mimic breaks the vow, he'll lose his name together with all the memories attached to the said name, pretty much a complete loss of self.'
'A Mimic with a name is also much more dangerous than one without it as they can learn and grow much faster than other Mimics...'
The more he thought about this, the more he remembered. To a point, he even remembered the name of the book and when he read it. The record of exotic beasts. He read it in the Palace's Library before he left for his journey…
However, Laplabe forgot a key detail, said contract only lasts for a year, and at the end of the year, the Mimic can choose to say his name again to his contractor, but if he doesn't, the contractor will forget the name of Mimic.
Of course, in the situation where the Contractor doesn't forget it, he can say the Mimics name out loud and the contract will be automatically renewed… Its pretty complicated how all of this works.
It's pretty simple to abuse it as you could simply write the name down on a paper, such is the poor life of a Mimic. That's why, for a Mimic, sharing your name is such a big deal.
The only way for a Mimic to escape their grasp is for them to develop a new name or to modify their previous one. Mimics grow and so do their names. If the master loses his grasp of the Mimic, the latter could form a surname as their power grows and even change their name as their personality develops or changes.
Experimentation, illusion, hypnosis, and other similar procedures can cause a Mimic's name to alter temporarily or permanently… It's a strange phenomenon, but Mimics aren't the only kind to display such connections to names.
Isn't the unique hair color of the Royals a type of identification as well? It's grounded in biology but there are other more extreme examples out there.
"… Are you okay with this, though?"
"... Thank you for worrying for me, but I have many debts left to fulfill, and until they're done, I'll remain by your side, perhaps even after that. Who knows what fate has in store for us?"
"I owe much of who I am to the Principal. If he chose you to carry on this burden, then it's my duty to lighten it if only slightly." The Mimic said in an oddly gentle tone as the ring flashed with light
'… or until the day you get corrupted by your own greed... but I don't believe that'll ever happen.'
"Even if this venture lasts over a year, I'll still renew our contract as many times as needed as long as I'm alive and my debts remain unpaid."
'Besides, it's not like I have anywhere else to go… What else would I even do if not this? Living by myself is a little scary, I'm not ready for that yet.'
Philip smiled a little, "Okay, but… Your form… A ring is too conspicuous for me to use in the open… Nor do I enjoy using them. They get in the way more often than not. Especially one with a big glowy gem that flashes every now and then."
'I do have several rings to use, but I normally don't wear them. The "only" special ring I have is the one given to me by the princess, but I keep it hidden below my shirt and tied to my neck. Its special effects still work, soothing my mind even when not directly worn.'
'The Princess didn't seem to mind it either.'
"Ahh, that is true. This is mainly a form I took under the Principal's request. It wouldn't be hard to become something else… It's good to change every once in a while, like changing your haircut."
"I've been stuck inside this box for years in hibernation. Can't say I'm thrilled to remain like this any longer… but what form would you find it most appropriate?"
"Can you… Become a person?"
'It's just my curiosity…'
"... Yes, I can. However, I find it a waste of effort and energy. Human anatomy or any other similar race is far too complex for me to emulate effortlessly, even with my extensive abilities..."
"I can imitate an outward appearance while maintaining my anatomy, but that would go against the initial intention of disguising as one… Either way, I'm not that good at moving around with the Human senses… No, not good is an understatement, I'm terrible at it."
"I could go on and on about several more reasons why… unless strictly necessary, I hope it'll never come to it… But I can become small animals if you want!"
"Although similarly as complex, they're still less work for me to worry... Insects tend to be the simplest. I'm particularly fond of beetles and their many unique shapes."
"We may never use it either, but in an emergency, I could potentially mimic body parts as well. Bones, skin, flesh, organs… I'm uncertain if I'd be able to execute any of their functions, though… Maybe a heart is possible for a short while."
Philip nodded. This was quite good to know… and frightening as well. Such a creature would be the main villain in alien horror movies…
"There are a few more things I need to warn you, however…" The Mimic said worriedly as the ring grew dim
"First, you must've noticed these crystals in the box, right? They aren't decorations nor currency… They are very important to me…"
"You see… I'm a Mimic, and Mimics are known to be… Aggressive when hungry to say the least... Well, they are already known to be very "dynamic" when hunting, but it becomes very evident when they're hungry."
"Even after many years trying, of failed experiments and self-meditation, I've been incapable of maintaining my sanity when I'm hungry for extensive periods of time… Still, I find flesh distasteful, so that's when these crystals come into play…"
"They're my food, quite tasty actually, at least for me. The principal never liked them, said that they taste like sand... I say they taste like soft candy. The kind that pops in your mouth."
"They're like bundles of crystalized energy. It helps me sustain myself, but they can be used elsewhere if needed. It's up to you really. Just remember to always leave me with a few so I can control myself."
Philip silently nodded but grimaced inside… How did the principal know how they tasted like? Maybe some things were better off a mystery…
"Let's see… I ate a few ever since I was sealed here but if I'm not mistaken, there's around six thousand of them, and each one of them can last me two weeks no problem, for a total of 24 a year."
"In other words, these could last me well over three thousand years… Unfortunately, that's not the case. Before even a hundred years pass, most of them will decay naturally as all things. They're mostly here in case I need to use more energy than necessary."
"Besides, I'll lose all my teeth before even a tenth of those three thousand years comes to pass… They aren't that hard to find on the market if you know where to look, and they aren't really that expensive either, getting them will never be a problem."
Philip nodded silently once more, "Noted, never make you hungry."
"Yes, that's pretty important. If I were to lose it… Last time I lost my cool, the Principal almost lost his eye. I'm ashamed of myself, but he was careless."
"He left me inside a box with no food for months while he engorged himself on an experiment. When he came to me, I lashed out and surprised him… Thank goodness he's the Principal, otherwise I would've tasted human flesh… old flesh even. Bound to be even worse."
/Silence…/
"Well, what I'm trying to say is I'm my own being. I'll be fine, just like any prudent individual. Worst come to worse, I can resort to eating plants and other things... Even animal flesh."
"But given my nature, in the situation where I can't access any of those sources, or I end up using too much energy at once, which is likely the closest scenario… I may need some assistance… I can maintain my sanity for a few moments when necessary, but if such danger is close, I'll always warn you in advance."
"If we're in a situation I can't, then we're likely in an emergency regardless."
"That works for me… but as I was saying, a ring is too noticeable… Can you turn into... Um... How about a pocket watch?"
Philip always had one by him, and it wouldn't be too much to change his watch for this Mimic…
"A watch? A mechanical construct... Show it to me and I'll do it. Theres almost nothing I can't imitate… given it's not biological or some highly complex magical entity."
Philip thought that as well, if this Mimic could replicate the complexity of a Human body, what to say a watch? He took his watch from his chest pocket and showed it to him.
/Tremble…/
The ring trembled slightly, and it became small black goo with many tendrils that wrapped itself around the clock…
Philip frowned. This was indeed an alien creature... It was strange to think that a few seconds ago; he was having a rather normal conversation with it...
Almost the instant the goo completely covered the watch, it jumped to the side, slowly transforming into an identical copy of the watch… With a blue gem in the middle of the pointers.
"Done. I copied all the mechanisms perfectly… Even the strange object within. It seems to be some sort of container for chemical reagents…"
"It's a battery, and it was used to power the clock's mechanisms… But that's unnecessary to have now…"
'I've been carrying this pocket watch ever since I left the dream… Seems like its time to put it to rest. Like most of my tools, they've been slowly losing relevancy in this world.'
'I can't quite say they're useless yet. It's been barely two months since I left that world. But most of them are in need of some well-deserved augments and revisions. I could even fuse that technology with this world's… maybe even enchant them all… but I've barely figured out how to fight well, much less how to put that together…'
'The dwarves are my closest hint at improving those tools given the nature of their technology, but one thing at a time…'
"Speaking of that battery, how about you hollow that area and use it as a container for these crystals?… Can you even replicate a battery? How does that even work?"
"Don't you lose hair and regrow it over time? Replicating such simplistic alchemical reactions isn't difficult… to me, of course. Other Mimics might have difficulty doing the same."
"That's why I'm a believer of knowledge. To someone of my species, knowledge is power, even more so than to you… or so I believe."
"Give me a moment…" The pocket watch shook faintly, but no discernable change could be seen, "... And I'm done. I can house about eight of these crystals which is about sixteen weeks of rations... I must say, I quite like this design."
Philip carefully grabbed the watch and observed it… But he saw no flaws at all. Even the chain looked legit… horrifying to think this was a living being.
As he grasped the clock, it increased in size slightly to fit his hand...
"… Its actually pretty cool."
"I'm glad you liked it haha!"
Philip tied the chain's end to his pants, and it was perfect, no one would be able to notice it.
"Another problem done… Now, can you tell me more about the rest? What are those vials all about?"
"Those? It's your reward of course… More like advanced payment. Armund, albeit terrible in other crafts as he'd say, was rather confident in Alchemy, so he'd indulge in some sort of concoction or experiment in his free time."
"Each of these vials contains one of these carefully brewed potions of his. In the past, Armund gave them to his students to aid their growth, and although that was a long time ago, he kept his habit and continued to make them, either selling, something he rarely ever did, or putting them up as rewards for the students of the Academy."
"What you see are each a set of stimulants and a set of Strengthening Attribute potions. There are many more of these inside the portable space, but taking more than what's here won't really change much."
"In fact, these differ from the ones he gave his students. They are… 'encompassing'. I'd say more perfect, but that isn't the right word either."
"You can take them anytime, however, it's better if you prepare some free time consumption may take a while, and the aftereffects can also last a few days."
"They work the best when taken together… If you can tolerate the pain, that is. Armund never held back in his beliefs, to him, improvement was synonymous with pain, be it physical or psychological… but from my experience, even these potions are a little too much for his tastes."
"That, however, isn't all… for maximum effects, I'd be better to consume the correspondent stimulant for each potion. The more of them you take at once, the higher the pain… I don't think I need to explain why, do I?"
"… You could say that being cut in the finger is manageable, but if you were to lose the entire skin of your arm, the pain would be unimaginable… None of Armund's students were able to take them at once, and these are "improved" versions of those…"
"I fear there is no sane Human able to consume them."
Philip scratched his chin as he heard his explanation, "How strong is the pain?" he asked as he inspected the vials.
Laplabe had to think for a moment, "Very high to say the least… At least as high as the feeling of having your limbs being torn from your body at the same time. Flesh, muscles, veins, nerves, skin… Enough pain to make you remain conscious and die from shock."
"That's quite brutal…"
"They sure are… but equally effective."
"Most of this pain comes not from their immediate effects but from the aftermath of their use. These potions were made to stimulate your body, and then to strengthen it… However, everyone has a limit, and once that limit is reached, your growth stops… But the potion's effects don't."
"They'll keep pushing until it forcibly breaks through that limit… or death… and the stimulants push this effect even further."
"Aren't forceful enhancements like these often detrimental?"
"Yes, greatly! There is an abundance of stories depicting someone going through highs and lows to slightly strengthen their body, often encountering numerous challenges that all point to the… pardon my vocabulary… stupidity of such an act."
"Most heroes portrayed in such stories either end up casting aside their aspirations, or achieve some legendary feat and vanish into the annals of time… Of course, fantasy for the common folk is often not so for those dabbling in the arcane arts like us."
"This is such a high-grade item few would ever have the chance to gaze upon. The very legendary item heroes would pursue and die for!"
"The results speak for themselves, and death from its effects are highly improbable. The only weak link in the process is the consciousness and will of those subjected to it, nothing more."
"… Although exceptions are always possible, people can react strangely to the potions… Armund's very first apprentice was allergic to pollen, which forced him to adapt the recipe into one that utilized a fitting replacement."
"Then again, at that time, these potions were more of an overly-glorified prototype than an actual product."
Philip looked at the potion vials with a blank expression as he heard his story, weakly replying "… I see."
"That's about all… In short, it's best if you… Wait… What are you doing? What are you doing Philip?!" Laplabe exclaimed in shock and fear as Philip chugged in all the supplements at once
/Gulp gulp…/
"Ahhh… It's actually quite refreshing and cool." Philip said as he licked his lips
'It has a fruity taste… I drank several potions back in the Palace and they were bland at best… although I read that most tend to taste terrible.'
'Whatever saves your life, right?'
"You… You've really done it… After everything I said?!" Laplabe exclaimed loudly as the pointers on the clock spun rapidly
"Yes, pain is the least of my problems… and I can't see myself being any more prepared than now."
'I may lose my chance to go to the party, but that is of little significance. I could always do it later, yet now is the most optimum time. Who knows what'll happen later? Right now I have little responsibilities aside from this party.'
'And if I'm lucky and this ends before it starts… even better.'
"How long did you say this was going to take?..."
"It... It depends on person to person… It could last a few hours to even a few days… how reckless, I thought you more prudent than this."
"It's too late now anyway…"
"No, it isn't!" He interjected loudly, "As long as you don't take the Strengthening Attribute potions, it'll be okay!"
"The stimulants are to be taken together with the potions, but this recipe remains untested! Even if some of its potential will be lost, you should take the potions later after giving your body time to adapt to the stimulants!"
"Wouldn't that break the entire purpose of it? The potion has to be taken after the Stimulant." Philip said as he grabbed the potion vials, causing Lablabe to shake at his waist
"… if you take it all, your body may not handle it…"
"Didn't you say it was only painful? Now you're saying something else? I won't die from pain alone. That is what I'm most confident of..."
'I say that but after his words, I'm a little skeptical about it… Nonetheless, with my mental prowess, I doubt anything will happen.'
'Sometimes, you just have to press forward, even if it means stepping on a nail… Though I'd prefer to bend it with a rock first.'
"... to think there's a chance for my first contractor in years dying on our first day together… For long I've wondered how things would be, never had I imagined things to go down this path."
"I can only say… for you to grit your teeth. This pain will be unlike anything you've ever experienced before, and if you have ever experienced something like it… then… I'm sorry."
[DING]
[Your body is being stimulated]
[Rapid growth has started!]
Amidst the System's notifications, Philip said as he messaged his belly, "I'm starting to feel a bit hot…"
"… The potion effects will soon start. I recommend going somewhere open and resistant as this room will probably be trashed…"
Philip nodded without replying, immediately storing the box back in the golden ball before leaving the room quickly. Warning the first maid he saw about his whereabouts in case someone needed him. Although he doubted he'd be able to respond.
He made his way to the training room, meeting the maid who was still there, cleaning the room quietly under MT's watchful gaze.
She seemed curious about the large smooth obelisk inside the barrier but left it behind on Philip's request, cleaning around it calmly… not noticing how the obelisk seemingly "moved" after her.
When he entered, Philip kindly asked her to leave as something urgent had popped up, and she did it with a smile. Immediately after, he gave the maid an order to not disturb him unless strictly necessary.
/Gulp!/
Once they were alone, Philip gave some commands to MT before drinking all the strengthening potions at once without hesitation.
[DING]
[Your body is being nourished by an unknown solution]
[The solution is strengthening your body]
[A resonant effect between the different consumed solutions has caused your body's rapid growth to increase massively]
[Apex Evolver has strongly activated]
[Apex Evolver strives to maintain balance; Your body adapts and transforms]
[Your Hyper Cells are stimulated; They have begun to analyze the foreign substances within your body]
[Physical + 0.1]
[Physical + 0.1]
[Mind…]
"Sigh… you're either ignorant, or your courage is taller than a Dungeon Tower…" Laplabe said out loud, astonished
Philip smiled in reply, wiping the corner of his lips with his tongue, "Both may be an option..."
If he could Laplabe would roll his eyes, but the most he could do was spin the clocks pointers rapidly to show his frustration... "Okay then, its better if you focus now, try to use any method you know to relax your body as much as possible and prepare for the worst."
"If you're lucky, the pain will take longer to begin. That depends solely on how adaptable your body is… Nonetheless, avoiding it is impossible. Also…"
Philip listened to his advices quietly. He took off his clothes one by one and prepared the area in accordance with his words.
"… no matter what, you must never puke during the process, try to maintain a calm, constant breathing so you don't choke and lose your rhythm."
"Your body is undergoing a transformation. It will be painful, but think of the end goal. If you keep your composure, everything will go as intended and any damage you undergo will be voided."
"I'd recommend doing some light stretches and warming up. Though that may speed up the process slightly, it should delay the pain somewhat."
Philip began by stretching his legs, "Sure thing… But I'm not feeling that much different."
'I can hear the notifications building up, and I feel warm, but nothing else. No shock, no discomfort… Hm… not quite! I feel relaxed… The mental strain I was feeling seems to be going away…'
'It's quite relieving… I'm actually starting to get tired from this.'
"… Its been two minutes, twenty-three seconds since you took the Stimulants… It is indeed taking longer than expected… It can only mean that your body is quite compatible and the initial changes haven't been rejected… Hum? Hey... HEY! Philip?... Dont sleep!"
"Eh? Sorry… I just feel so… Comfortable." Philip, who had closed his eyes, said as he opened the wide in shock
Laplabe couldnt believe what he had just heard… 'Impossible… Absolutely impossible. Comfortable?... Is that a joke?'
'The first signs of its effecrs would come through a slight irritation spreading throughout his body... Is he telling me that his body has so much room for growth that even these potions merely induce a feeling of relaxation in him?'
'Is this a massage for him? No no… This… His body is already way beyond what a normal Human young adult was supposed to have... but that was the same for all of his disciples, they just weren't as muscular as he was.'
'Their uniqueness laid in their inner potential. Could he also have such a level of untapped potential?… Perhaps even more than them…'
'Either way, its been only three minutes… He won't be able to last much longer than… that…'
"ZZZzzz…"
But when he noticed, Philip was already sleeping… Almost snoring out loud as his jaw hanged below his head.
"... Ahhh… What do I do?... Utterly inconceivable."
'Is this even okay? There has never been a case like this before. Could sleep be a natural defense of the body to avoid pain? If that's the case, should I even allow it?'
'He definitely has enough willpower to remain awake, yet he lost himself to sleep… I wasn't trained for this…'
But despite his worries, nothing else happened even after ten minutes had passed. So Laplabe calmed down, taking a more observant role as he witnessed the changes within Philip.
Nonetheless, as time passed, apart from getting hotter, nothing much happened to him. He only slept silently… Under the chime of the notifications…
…
/Around half an hour later…/
Philip's body grew so hot that steam rose from his skin, forming a faint cloud in the ceiling as the walls of the training room grew moist from condensation.
Even Laplabe was forced to move, not like he couldn't take the heat, but due to his sense of hygiene. The ground around him was thoroughly filled with sweat and other substances that were excreted from his body… And he didn't want any of it to touch him…
Laplabe ended up running to MT, hiding atop its frame as he watched from afar. He could sense the strangeness and complexity of the obelisk beneath him, especially given his nature, but rather than give in to curiosity, he focused on his given role.
"…"
But despite the silence, the notifications kept ringing inside Philip's head. Thankfully, Philip had long ago decreased their noise, so despite the frequency, it wasn't enough to wake him up.
Still, his body kept working, harder and harder as it processed the potions injected into his bloodstream, and finally, something happened.
[...]
[Energy + 0.2]
[Energy + 0.1]
[Spiritual +2]
[All four basic attributes have reached their maximum value]
[Your body structure is incapable of advancing further]
Yet the energy within him was far from dying down…
[Your limits are being pushed]
[Apex Evolver has automatically activated]
[Your body is adapting, your limits are widening, your potential increases]
[The forces within your body are getting out of control]
[Golden body has activated, the energies within your body have been forcibly stabilized and equalized]
[Your Hyper Cells are undergoing a change…]
[An unexpected occurrence, your body is Mutating]
[Your race is changing from Type 1 Pure Human to Type…]
/Twitch…/
From the outside, Philip's muscles began to move underneath his skin like worms on earth. They contracted, split, reconnected, twisted… it was truly a horrific scene to witness.
But that wasn't all...
[An unusual scenario has occurred, halting current processes…]
[Iapetus sub-routine has been temporarily terminated]
[Confirmation received… Cannot proceed]
[***** mode cannot be terminated]
[Condition… *****]
[Seeking solution… Awaiting confirmation… Received]
[Mnemosyne sub-routine has been temporarily reinstated]
[***** mode has been released]
[A Great Achievem%$ ERROR]
[Calculation error. Cannot process. Cannot quantify… Missing directives to calculate scenario]
[Trying to contact *****]
[E—R—R̵̬͙͎̪̜̻̿͒͊̄͊̋̾̔̋̾Ơ̵̱͋̽̑͊̿̐̓̈͒R̵̡̤̔͒͐̉̂̇!̸̗͇̍͊͂̃͒͑̓͜ The process has been forcibly terminated…]
[Imminent to-tal c̶͔͎̖͓̫̠̪̠̞̲̬̬̮̱͒̄͒ras̵̡͕̱̠̙͕̬̖͕͇͔͓͎̀͂̉̃͑̎͛̓̕͜ĥ̵̡̟̙̟͕̠̒̊̆̍̋͊́͠ recognizę̴̡̨͚̭̰̜̯̹̜̦͈̜̭̽́ͅḑ̸͖͚̬̯̹͖̜̙̖̥̥̬̑̔̄͂̍͒͠. Sub-protocol Ad-ą̸̖̫̬͕͎́̂̅̾̔̃̈́̅̚͜͜d̵̨̛͙̭̯̗̍͂͊͑̊̍͘̕͘͝ͅ-adonis has been initiated]
[Rebooting... Cannot procȇ̸̥͓̟͈̝̩̰̠̍͐̋̈̈́͒̕͝͝ḛ̴̡̧̝̗̖̤̟͎̝̹̌́͆͜ͅę̴̯͚͔̠̪̪̑̇͒̍̍͋̽͝ͅȩ̶̡̠̖͙̹̱̞̳̈̊̋̋̇̅̑̐͒̾̚͘̚͝ȩ̵̖͉̥͉̪̜̺̐̀̓̀̿̅̃͌̕͝ë̵̦͎̼̙̩̂̏̓̿͊̓̌̐̇͝d. Sub-protocol ?d?n?s has been 0̷͚̜̻̫̮̯̤͍̭̣͈͛́0̴̖̞͋́̅͐͘͝0̴̺̣̖͈̺̪̖̎͒̓̈́͝0̸̧̢̘̯̼̥̪͚̊͛̍̋͐̀̏̿̏̏͌0̶̧̱͚̤̦͉̱͍̉͜͝0̴̤͉̞͚͕̜͖͙͍̘͔̬̙̜̝̋̄̄͐͆͊̾̉͆̓͊͑̈́͠0̶̞̹͎̓͊̀̌͛͆̍̆̾̅̚̕͝͝0̸͇͎͖̝͙͔͚̓͌̄̄͝0̶̰̰̯̫̲͖̟̮̬̤̮̩̦̰̎͊̇0̸̮̭̯̪̜̩̞̫̼̪͓̐̅͒͑̽̈́̄̀́̕͝͝]
[Total System crash imminent. Kronos main-directive h-h-h…]
/Silence…/
[Critical System Error, en-en-en…]
[̶͉͙̘͍̂̏̏̀̈̈́C̶͍̼̜̙̮̪̰̠̒͆̓̊̍r̶͔͔̳̮̬̮̩̪͌͂͑͠͝ị̷͍̖͓͚̗͐̀̂̏̈̐͘͘̕͝t̵̨͇̑̈i̵̡̟͉̽́̇̾̍̌͘ċ̶̛̰̭͚̣͍͚͉̱̍͒͊͒͒́a̵̼̭͕̅̆̀̄ļ̷̗̙͍̙̽̇̓̒̃͒̿͠ ̷̨̛͎͖̙̖̟͖̥̥͐̈́̽͆͒S̵̱͙͍̠̫̈́̾̚ͅỳ̵̡͎͇͚͕̦͎̏͐̆͆͂͒͘͜ͅs̷̭̱̗̐̄̍̓̋̃t̸͔͔͖̾͠e̸̡͓̺͉͇̼͉̠͎̍͑̽̈́̑̂͑̇̚ͅm̷̡͍͔̆̿̕ ̵̺͖̫̟̗̪̪̙̺͉̑̈́̔̃̎̃̅͝͠E̷̢̳͖̞̹̾ŗ̷̳̭̫̭̠̍̃ṟ̵̨̨̯̩̪̐o̵̡̖̳̼̮̣͕͇͍͆͊͒͒͊̈́͒̎͊͝ͅr̶̝̠̻̬̬̺̘͖̲̰͐,̴̢̘̝͙̦̯̦͇͉̪̃̂̌̀̾̓͒̀͆͒ ̷̮̠̐̿̔͂͊e̶̠̬̫̜̞̝̝͑͋̽̊͜n̸̨̰̱̝̮̉̈́͛͌̂̓̐̐ẗ̷̟̗̼̮̃̉̋̕͠͠ȩ̶̟̼̺̝̫̯̱̲̠̊̎̐͋͌̐͛̚͠r̴͇̬̃̌̆̎͑̏̈̈́͝i̵̤̰͛̒̐̍͊̈͐̅̚̚n̴̨͈̞̱̖̯̼̫̯̏̿̒̇̉̆͆g̵̤̰̘̞̫͍͓͙̜̾̅̄̈́̕͝͠ ̶̡̲̻̘̮͚̋̾̋̀͋͗͘͠*̷̢̢̳͙̹̞̞̻̀̋̅͋̍̉̕͜͠*̵̨̗̰̣͓̙́̽͂̐̑̾̀ͅ*̴̧͖͓͎̮̂̕ͅ*̸̯͆̑̓͜͠*̵̖͇̺͉̿͂ ̵̧͈̫̭̫̌̈́ͅm̶̥͉͔̤̺̩͎̘̜̘̄̍̀ö̵̩͚̈́̆͐̎ḓ̶̤̓̒̀͜͝ȩ̴̪̥̾͒ ̴̜̖͉̖̥̘͎̇̔̄̈́̅̚͝t̷͎͖̪̖̖͉̊̓̀̆̿͌͛͋͝ô̷̺̻̰̻̬̅̔̈́̀ ̶̧̖̼̜͎̗̟̺̞͔͑ą̷̧̛͙̰̣͈̑̆͒͑v̶̧̛̪̪̦̣̳̍͊̄͑̕̚͝ö̶͚͓̓͛̈́̓͗̽̕͠ͅi̵̛̖̍̌̄͐̎̓͒͘͝ḑ̸̧̩͚̜͖̫̞̞̔̉̄̈́͂̈́̌̚͠ͅ ̴̬͔̮̽͌͆͘f̵̢̧̙̯̣̹̥͂͛̒̅͌͜͠ṷ̸̦͂̽̌r̷̛̗͖̉̄̉͊̐͐̃̀̈t̶̼̥̺̣̰͙̑̉̅͌͛̃̋̋͗̀h̴̩̹͈͚͈̱̫͐̀̄̈́̈́̾̽́͐͘ẽ̷͖͚̬̗̾̇̄̿̌͝͠r̴͖̙͍̙̠̟͗͂̌̓͝͝ ̴̢̔ḑ̴͇̮͚̱̹̹̝̏̈́͋̽́̓̒͜ą̷̛̥̲̯̱̮͕͓̀̾̊̿̽̈́̚m̸̨͎͕̙͊̐̈́̎̄͋̕̕͠a̷̦̯̮̗̯̖̍̄̀̓͊̿g̷̯͔̜̳͙̑̚͜ë̷͙̬̳̅̽͜͠͝͝s̸̛̥̦͙̺̘̔͛̐̔͋͝…̷̢̼͙͓̭͖̥͕͙̓̏̓̂̚͝]̶̫̘̙̖͕͇̘͕̙̋̿͆̾͂̈͗̈́
At the moment when everything seemed to have gone silent, time seemed to halt as a rift opened above Philip, appearing to lead into the void beyond.
{Multiple interruptions have been detected over a short period of time}
A new message, dark as ink and darker than the night sky, appeared floating above Philip.
It fluctuated faintly, popping in and out of reality as if it did not belong there.
{Potential breach has been detected}
{Scanning… No breaches have been detected}
{Opening Mnemosyne archive… Confirmed}
{Processing…}
{Problem detected; Lacking parameters degraded System accuracy, leading to *****}
{Sub-routines lack sufficient authority to initiate necessary directives}
{A solution has been found…}
{Cannot proceed; Readjustment required}
{Calculating alterative solutions...}
{Request for direct interference… Negated/High}
{Request for outside-range operation… Negated/High}
{Request for forced reboot… Negated/High}
{Seeking alternatives… Interference has been detected}
{Source: Nearby; Expanded half-dimension… Identified}
{A connection has been formed… Processing…}
{Compiling extra data… Potential solution has been found}
{Request for System repair… Accepted}
{Initiating System Repair using the fragments of Ithas… Completed}
{Terminating broken directives...}
{Terminating broken routines...}
{Terminating broken protocols...}
{Re-initializing Ouranos Directive}
[***** mode has been released]
[Calculating all missing parameters…]
[Recalculating incomplete parameters…]
[Impossible to recover corrupted data]
[Scanning for new data... Scanning complete]
[Formulating an adequate response...]
[A reward shall be given]
And then silence…
"..."
Laplabe also remained silent, observing the changes within Philip's body without moving…
…
/A few more minutes later…/
/Shaaaaa…/
The water around Philip was boiling, but he still slept… His head hung low as his skin tug to his body, almost showing his bones underneath.
Around him, several cables and probes stuck to his body like leeches, crawling around his skin as if in search of something.
"This is getting ridiculous."
'It has been almost an hour, yet nothing extreme happened. His body is taking in all the excess vitality like a sponge with water… No… He reached his limit as I expected, but his body went beyond that as if it was the natural thing to happen!'
'Still… Its taking its toll. He's wasting too much energy on its transformation, which is odd. The potions were meant to provide everything needed for the procedure.'
"This is all beyond expectations. This level of change... It's a mutation… I'm sure of it... But how did this come to be?..."
'For a moment I thought it was going to start, that the pain would soon wake him… But before anything happened, his body broke its own limits alone by using the energy from the potions.'
'How do I even explain this? I don't understand. No race has such a body… It's almost as if it has a will of its own. It took the potions and did the rest without assistance. I may even say it went on its own path!'
'I expected his body to be somewhat unique, but that is way beyond what I thought…'
He momentarily turned to MT.
'This obelisk as well… It has extended several limbs stretching from its body. Had it not been for his warnings, I might've interrupted it… Just what is it? I feel no vitality from its husk yet I feel considerable energy…'
"Hm…"
Philip trembled, slowly opening his heavy eyes…
"!"
'He's waking up… Finally.'
Philip slowly opened his eyes. He felt relaxed like never before, but the more his senses returned, the more he felt something was weird…
His body was all sticky…
"Urg… I fell asleep before even realizing it… How unprofessional. How long has it been? Has it already started?… I'm sorry, I'll pay attention now." Philip joked out loud as he rubbed his eyes
"Dont even tell me…"
"Who?!... Oh, oh yeah, it's you… I forgot about you for a sec." Philip exclaimed as he shook his head
But as he looked at his body and then around him, his expression changed, going through several changes before he understood what had transpired.
"Wait… What the hell?" He mumbled to himself as he looked at Laplabe, noticing the time…"… hour… has passed?! I… What about the pain?"
Laplabe snickered, rolling around him at the edge of the pool of filth.
"Why are you asking me that? I can't feel it for you."
"Just… What happened?… Have been out for a whole hour?"
'I'm still alive and my body feels great... but how exactly did all of this happen?'
"Goodness… Long enough for the effects of the potions to pass, that's for sure." Laplabe replied, somewhat annoyed… But he let out a small sigh of relief soon after…
"Beside that… Are you feeling okay? Anything of note, worthy sharing?"
"Well… I just feel sticky and smelly…" He then grimaced, "… also… don't tell me this yellow stuff around me is…"
"It's exactly as you fear. Mainly a mixture of sweat, fat, water, urine, dead skin, hair, dust, blood, and a few other substances that were excreted by your body, mixed with the dirt on the ground, then boiled by your body heat."
Philip frowned in disgust. This was too much, even for him.
"Then… aside from feeling disgusted, I feel completely fine… No, I feel better than before."
Philip tried to get up, but stumbled slightly… His equilibrium was a bit off?...
"… what? My legs... I'm out of balance?" He mumbled to himself as he tried to get up
'Now that I look at it… I'M HUNGRY!!'
Philip felt as if a hole had been torn through his stomach. He didn't need it to complain for he to know it was empty… Its weight alone, or rather, lack of was enough.
'No wonder my legs felt thinner than before… I didn't expect this much of a bodily reaction.'
"You must've realized your own condition by now… Once you recover, I recommend supplementing your body with the necessary nutrients. There are high-nutritional items inside the storage tool for this exact purpose."
"Usually the potions provide all that's needed, but there were cases where excess energy was required by the procedure, leading to heightened consumption."
"As for your imbalance… well… you should see for yourself."
Philip slowly pushed himself off the ground, his legs trembling. He took a large mirror from his inventory, his eyes widening soon after.
"I… I became… taller?"
"Not by much, around eight centimeters. That is within the expected parameters, though. Height, the width of the shoulders, and more tend to be boosted as muscles, bones, and tendons rearrange themselves."
"Your case though, is certainly exacerbated…" Laplabe then stopped talking as he saw what Philip was doing… "Wh-What are you doing?..."
"Holy shit! My Claymore got bigger?!" Philip exclaimed as he checked his underwear
"Cough… I mean… Not like I needed it any bigger, you get my drift? It was huge before, but now it could be too much… It's not even in battle-mode and yet…"
"Such fearsome power." He exclaimed as he closed his underwear
"…"
'This contractor…'
"Ho..."
'But I grew this much?... How tall am I now? Before being here, I was somewhere around 180ish… Then I grew a little from constant training and my first Class... then Dae's procedure… Hyper Cells… and now this.'
'My height rose and fell as my body transformed, but I should be well above 190 centimeters now… I dont know what to say about this, I feel as if I grew too tall.'
'I was quite happy with my height anyway.'
Philip went to scratch his neck, but he immediately realized something strange…
"Hair?... What? Look at the size of this beard!" He exclaimed once more than he grabbed a mouthful of hair from his chin
'Not only that… My nails are also massive! It's as if I didn't cut them for years… almost poked my own eye with it.'
'This beard too… I haven't grown much hair ever since my body changed. I think in the two months I've been here, I cut my beard only a handful of times, and only once ever since I underwent Dae's procedure, and only so I could pose as a younger student.'
Philip checked himself in the mirror in both horror and curiosity, "It's almost like I've been lost in the desert for a decade… My hair looks like a mop and it's all oily… and my bones are showing in some places…"
"Sigh… As I said before, these potions speed up your growth, so despite getting taller, your hair, nails, and beard grew as per normal… I recommend you eat something first. The potions effects will likely remain for the next few days, so make use of your currently accelerated metabolism to recover from your bony state."
"Right… but uh… where are those items, exactly?"
There was a literal sea of items inside the storage device. How was he supposed to find food within?
"Ah, pardon me… Your condition surprised me for a moment and I forgot about it. Give me a moment and I'll fetch it for you."
"Now that the process has finished, permit me to say a few things…"
As the Mimic talked, he took out a few nutritional jelly's for Philip, which he devoured in the blink of an eye. His rapid metabolism made short work of them, emptying his stomach as fast as they fell inside it.
His skin grew increasingly hot as his body temperature rose in response to his speeding metabolism. Still, he felt no changes, a testimony to his evolved body.
Not only that, his body recovered at a visible speed, his complexion returning as his muscles expanded and grew within minutes. At this speed, he'd recover within an hour.
Once he ate enough to satisfy his hunger, Philip began to cut the excess things out of his body… First he trimmed his nails on both his hands and feet to an adequate size, it was quite novel having them this long, but if he wanted bigger nails, he could just buy some fake ones from a shop…
He then cut his beard, but he cut it coolly as to see how he'd look with a beard and mustache…
"Hm… I'm not half bad. But smooth is better… Its too soon to grow a beard and mustache..."
'Although I'm almost in my thirties mentally… Am I?… Difficulty to say. I don't feel any different from I was when I first came here, if not more mature.'
'But maybe that's what it means for a man to grow older.'
/Flash!/
His hands were like shadows as they cut his beard clean… He touched around
"Next my hair… To be honest, I quite like it this long, there was a time when I was younger that I tried to have it grow during a lockdown, I let my hair grow for a year and it went all the way to my shoulders… But this surpasses that."
He turned around, looking over his shoulders. His hair went all the way to his back, "A shame that it's quite bothersome. If I move my face too fast, my hair becomes a whip to my eyes…"
'That said, I'm not a barber… It's a good chance to get a fresh cut fitting with the culture. I'll ask Sebastiano… Perhaps he knows how or someone that's proficient.'
"Okay… Now… now, I just need a decent bath."
"Hm… Wait a minute… What time is it again?"
"You finally remembered me, huh? It's ten minutes to 8h…"
"So let's recapitulate… I stayed like this for an hour?"
"Pretty much."
He stretched his arms and legs as he grew used to his new body, "Phew… Took much less than I thought. Perfect! It seems none of my plans will be affected."
'I have more than enough time to take a shower and get my hands on some clothes… I'm certain Sebastiano has procured some for me, but it would be… even more irresponsible to leave him with little time to prepare if I were to reach him late.'
"Now that this is out of the way… To clean this mess…"
Philip thought for a moment before having a great idea… He would just burn everything to ashes!
/BURN!/
A great flame, one way bigger than he expected, formed in his hands.
"What? How did this happen?..." He asked out loud in surprise
'Did I lose control over my own techniques just because of a change?'
"Finally another expected result! This is very much normal. Your body has greatly changed, and like your height, it would be strange if your control over your techniques didn't alter as well."
"It shouldn't take too long for you to adapt though."
Philip nodded, "Looks like I'll be staying in this place for a little longer than expected…"
'If I go to the party without familiarizing myself with these changes, I'll definitely commit at few mistakes later on. Still, I can't remain here for long.'
Without further ado, Philip burned everything in sight… Once he was done, he used the little magic he knew to fill a bucket with water before washing his body slightly, just enough to make the sticky feeling disappear.
His Pthumerian Combat art can help him control fire, blood, and other substances, just a shame he couldn't control water… No... Perhaps he could, his strengthened body may just be strong enough to pull such a stunt off, but now wasn't the time to experiment with something new.
After he checked the room's condition for one last time, he left, satisfied… and with a sneaky smile on his face.
It was time to surprise someone.
…
.
.
.
Notes
So, cool chapter? There was meant to be another passage at the end where Philip slightly trains his body and checks his status, however, I felt that was better left for the next chapter which continues right from here, so it's not too much outside Philip's character. After all, he'd likely check his Status as soon as he recovered from the operation to check on the notifications and what changed.
Still, if I put that here, we'd end up with 3K more words where he goes over everything that changed… Perhaps even more since it takes a considerable chunk of next chapter and was so big I had to cut it to another time.
So yeah… Let's leave it for now.
That's about that, thanks for reading!
Until next time.