Burning letters scribbled along Eik's arm. The pain didn't bother him whatsoever and he watched as they appeared.

[Acquired Movement Boost — Lv. 174]

[Acquired Monarch's Will — Lv. 247]

[Acquired Monarch's Will — Lv. 248]

[Acquired Monarch's Will — Lv. 249]

[Acquired Profound Toxin — Lv. 290]

[Acquired Profound Toxin — Lv. 291]

[Acquired Profound Toxin — Lv. 292]

Creating and successfully using a new technique for the first time like that always netted him some sweet levels, but since none of his victims had been at his own power level equivalent, it had most likely been significantly reduced.

While Monarch's Will was approaching level two hundred and fifty, Profound Toxin was about to hit three hundred. It was happening quickly but he would need all the power he could get his hands on for the ongoing war.

He kept reading.

[Acquired Living Manifestation — Lv. 194]

[Acquired Living Manifestation — Lv. 195]

[Acquired Living Manifestation — Lv. 196]

[Acquired Living Manifestation — Lv. 197]

[Acquired Living Manifestation — Lv. 198]

And Living Manifestation was also about to hit a new big number. Hopefully that would earn him a nice reward.

"Goo?" he called, looking around for the cheeky little bastard.

The battle had more or less come to a complete halt after Eik's little stunt and any cultist stragglers still standing were quickly suppressed by Eik's forces. Most of the squad were already preparing to go back.

Goo came galloping around the corner of a ruined house, plumes of dark smoke rising from the rubble. Clearly thriving in the chaos and carnage of battle, the little cat-shaped blob of Profound Toxin was more full of energy than ever before. If there had been any doubt that the origin of the Original Life was that of an ancient, murderous Worldbreaker, that had been dispelled at this point.

"There you are!" Eik said as his offspring leapt into his arms with a wet meow. "Hold still for a second, buddy, all right? I just need to take a look at your levels for a second," he said as he dug out the wooden plaque encased in the semi hardened toxin of Goo's body.

The same glowing letters that appeared for any other sentient Awakened etched themselves into the plaque at a flex of Eik's will. Normally he kept a strong aura lock on it to prevent anybody but him from accidentally seeing the status of the Original Life.

[Reached Greater Brood of the Monarch — IV]

Great. Although Goo's speedy progress through the ranks had seemed to slow a little bit compared to the beginning, it was still unbelievably fast compared to anything else. He was ascending even faster than Eik had. But then again, with how many opportunities Eik was giving him to gain experience, it was to be expected. If one really thought about it, the little blob of toxin had spent most of his life fighting.

It had been a little while since Eik last checked Goo's levels, but it was nice to see the progress. He'd forbidden the little guy to fight anything above his own power rank, just to be safe.

[Acquired Learn — Lv. 36]

[Acquired Learn — Lv. 37]

[Acquired Learn — Lv. 3…]

[Acquired Learn — Lv. 42]

[Acquired Learn — Lv. 43]

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"Good boy," Eik sang, rubbing the top of Goo's head. "Oh, what's this?" That wasn't the end of the messages.

[New skill available]

[Choose one]

[Transform]

[Toxin]

[Borrow]

"Hah!" Eik huffed as he started back toward the others, carrying Goo under his arm. "Transform? Then what exactly are you doing now?"

Goo simply turned his head at an unnatural angle and stared up at Eik with little understanding.

"And Toxin? Buddy, you just want to be like your ol' dad here, don't you? Well, I suppose it also makes sense on its own. But Borrow? What's that?"

"What's up?" Michael asked as he fell into pace next to Eik.

"Hey, Mike. Goo's getting a new ability. Look," he said and held the wooden plaque up for Michael to see. "The first two are obvious but what do you think Borrow is?"

Michael pursed his lips as he considered it. "Could it be that the System misspelled Burrow? Maybe it lets Goo dig into the ground or something."

Eik sucked his teeth. "I don't really think the System misspells stuff to be honest."

"I think he already picked what he wants, though," Michael noted, pointing at the plaque where all options but Transform had begun to fade.

"Oh, well, it's fine, I suppose. I can tell he's a free spirit, like me."

"You're a free spirit?" Michael asked incredulously.

"Yeah, do you have a problem with that?"

"I sure as heck do not," Michael reassured him, hands raised in placation. "After seeing and feeling what you just did to all of those A-rankers I don't think I'm ever going to have a problem with anything you do ever again. I can't believe you're capable of something like that. That could literally have killed all of us if you hadn't raised it into the sky."

"Yeah, I might have overdone it a bit."

"A bit?" Michael said, barely holding back a laugh. "The other A-rankers have been talking about whether to hog-tie you for the next confrontation or not, just for a better chance at survival."

"Nah, they wouldn't. Because they know that if they do, the ever-flowing stream of delicious baked goods that they have enjoyed until now would cease forever. None of them would take that risk."

"Aren't all A-rankers more than wealthy enough to just buy any cookies and cakes they might desire?"

"I'm a really good pastry chef."

"I mean, true," Michael admitted. "What can you transform into now anyway, Goo?" Michael cooed at the blue cat.

"Tyrannosaurus Rex?" Eik asked hopefully.

Meowing, Goo leapt out of Eik's arms, his form expanding in midair. First, his paws grew six times over, followed by his hind legs and forelegs. Once he landed, body, head, and tail grew as well, thickening, the membranous skin rippling with muscle.

It was like a lion from one of the picture books from old Earth that Eik had shown Bin and Goo. "Not exactly a T. Rex, but pretty damn cool nonetheless," Michael said with a nod. Goo beamed with pride.

"Anything else up your sleeve, Goo?" Eik asked.

Rapidly, the blue lion began to change again, this time shrinking. The tail disappeared completely as the shoulder and hip joints changed alignment and became bipedal. Imperfect imitations of clothes were added to cover his body although it was all just made of Profound Toxin.

Paws turned into small, slender fingers and hair appeared on the head. Eik and Michael gaped, joined by a similarly gaping Heath who had just arrived. Silently staring back up at them was a little human boy, appearing to be around five years old.

"Goo?" Eik asked slowly.

With a laugh almost identical to a genuine human child, the little boy ran into Eik's arms. Perhaps the new Transform ability allowed the Original Life to more accurately imitate whatever he changed into. "Dad?" the boy asked.

"Holy shit," Heath whispered as he watched the bizarre scene unfold.

"Uuh, yes?" Eik said with hesitation, but when he took in the expression of innocence, he felt his heart melt. "Actually, yes. Yes, I am your dad," he said and pulled the blue boy into an embrace. "I'll get you some real clothes when we get home, all right?"

The moment they stepped through the fracture leading back to Gimleh, Mikla was there. It had been a little while since they last saw him but he was technically still a liaison between Earth and the Alliance, along with Atla, although Eik's meteoric rise to both fame, influence, and power had more or less made them both redundant. Mikla still had a lot to do with Earth and seemed to genuinely enjoy spending time in Forest and Eik knew he was there many times every week and had developed a number of friendships with the humans there.

The fracture specialist was breathless as he dashed up to them. For a moment he was stunned by the sight of the blue child watching him from his seat on Eik's arm, but quickly shook his head as he tried to phrase what he wanted to say.

"Take it easy, Mikla," Eik said with a hand on the man's shoulder. "What's going on?"

"It's… It's Earth. Moon Shall Swallow has launched another cluster of attacks, probably to counter what we're doing. Earth is among the targets hit."

Eik swallowed a gasp as his heart fell into his stomach. "When?"

"It's only been about fifteen minutes, but I think it's big. I wasn't there when it happened but a bunch of people made it back to Gimleh through the fracture and they witnessed the cult's arrival. It's bad, Eik. You have to go. Now!"

Fury welled up in Eik, threatening to set his aura loose but he kept a tight mental grip on it. He knew full well that, with the addition of its toxic properties and the extreme empowering effect of the Tyrant's Pressure trait from Monarch's Will, his aura was capable of outright extinguishing the lives of low-rankers.

Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, he didn't manage to keep down all of it causing every person inside the chaotic fracture hall to whirl about to look at him, color draining from every face that could become pale. A couple of insect people shivered visibly as their mandibles clattered together noisily.

Eik didn't care. As a matter of fact, he barely noticed. "Do you know if our families are safe?" he asked, knowing what the answer would be.

Mikla shook his head sheepishly. "I don't know any more than you now do."

He nodded briskly and grabbed his new son's chin for attention. "Goo, you're staying here with uncle Heathy and uncle Mikey. Mikla, this is my son, Goo. Protect him with your life," he said as he placed the boy on Heath's shoulders.

"Your s—… Your son?" the fracture specialist mumbled, unable to reconcile what he was hearing with what he was seeing. Nothing made sense.

But before he could ask further and before Eik could leave, Heath grabbed the Monarch's wrist.

"Don't think for a second I'm going to let you go there on your own. Forest is a home to all of us. You don't get to go and be all heroic on your own."

Some of Eik's aura flared up again, making every person there feel like they were being crushed by an invisible force from all direction. Armor of the Scourge merged seamlessly with Profound Unity, flowing over him in a layer of rippling Profound Toxin, the eerie face plate of swirling pattern making him look like the embodiment of an ancient evil.

"Let me take care of it, Heath," he said, voice warped hauntingly. "It won't be like the last time they came to Earth. This time I'm going to make sure none of them leave alive."

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