Westibule mountain chain [western part of the Torrent mountain range], local time [1793.11.19]

  Jeez… But thanks for the warning. No, not yet, he answered, getting out of his bed.

  He informed his companions that he will be out cold the whole day, to the Gremling’s delight and sorrow – his two personalities not in agreement for once.

  While packing, Zeph once more analyzed the information he had, ascertaining himself the choice was the best one.

  The similarity between the new Enhancements to a ‘Passive Skill’ and an ‘Energy Enhancement’ meant nothing to him – ‘Willforce Morphon’ wasn’t relying on ‘Mana pressure’ like an ‘Energy Enhancement’ should, and he wasn’t able to differentiate between their frameworks even after reading about them.

  In the first place, ‘Willforce’ was just a fancy name for a new Spell. It would function as an energy carrier, similar to ATP, and would be formed from his two Magicules: Will-Mana and Space-Mana. Simply speaking, the Enhancement’s Soul part would engage his Willpower, Will, and his contaminated Soul parts to automatically mass-produce this micro-spell structure to populate his body and Soul. Thankfully, it wouldn’t interfere with Will-Mana and Space-Mana natural generation process – he would still have access to those Magicules, like always.

  But the information he gathered was ambivalent enough, the unfinished simulation of ‘Willforce Morphon’ only scrapped at his sanity when he tried to understand what it was meant to do.

  Because both options could stay functional in any given Mana density, he could concentrate on more important details. ‘Persistent Form’ was meant to strengthen the functions of his brain and body, while the ever-vague ‘Willforce Morphon’ was meant to change how his body operated on a more fundamental level – it would integrate new metabolic pathways. Both would force his Mana and Will to influence his body, but the first one would force it and the second would try to integrate it, allowing for resource exchange.

  Both constructs would be formed in his body and Soul, but physically the ‘Willforce Morphon’ would be integrated on the cellular level, while ‘Persistent Form’ was a macroscopic structure with the most important fragment residing in his brain.

  That’s why he took the Morphon. The Form was sure to restrict possibilities of modifying his brain in the future, or at least he guessed it would do so. But more importantly, he would rather not have two weak points in one place, in case he founds a way to survive the destruction of his brain – ‘Will shielding’ already suggested such a possibility. He also hoped the new Enhancement will expand on it in that direction.

  The rest of the pros and cons balanced themselves between the two options, but he mentally reviewed them despite that.

  One question, though, mockingly stood behind all of the information, unanswered and proud.

  He placed the last crate on the cart, frowning in irritation, and turned to Aisha.

  They were almost finished, so he asked immediately.

  “I was wondering for some time now, but the information seems unavailable… Why can my Skills and Enhancements fuse, grow, change, tier up, etc., but I am unable to spend my Universal Points on new ones? I hoped to get something synergic before the change,” he asked, walking closer to her and helping to gather leftover items from around the camp. “I even managed to learn new General Skills and form new Spells… this doesn’t make any sense,” he muttered at the end.

  “Don’t worry about that. Your Skills and Enhancements are all modifiable as long as it isn’t stated otherwise. Synergic Skills and Spells will fuse with this one as the time comes. Well, it doesn’t always apply to implants and such, but it is what it is. Anyway, an advice to visit a System Shrine would also show up if it was necessary,” she consoled him, not even looking his way. “As for why UP are like that…” she paused, straightening up. She thought for a moment while looking at the sky.

  He waited, the concentration on his face visible. It would be so fucking better if it worked as it should. The explanation better be convincing…

  “Isn’t that just System Onji’s policy?” she said, shrugging.

  He stumbled, almost falling forward.

  “What is the meaning of this bullshit?!” he screamed into the air. You stingy bastard!

  She laughed. “My, don’t be so excited for nothing,” she said with mirth, waving her hand. “Actually, there are many possible reasons…”

  He glared at her but kept silent.

  “Just think about it,” she started again, tapping her head. “People would just spend everything on General Skills and Energy Enchantments if they were always accessible. But what with body modifications that require a visit in the Shrine? How many would regard those options?”

  His brows raised.

  Oh, right. People are quite lazy and don’t plan ahead, he realized, but instantly remembered his conversations with the System. There is more to it. People living away from cities would rather buy the knowledge instead of trying to learn and earn General Skills manually… Sharing the knowledge is one thing, but the System wants us to innovate and try new things, not just repeat what is known… The stingy bastard is a better entrepreneur than I had thought.

  “Also, nothing can be created out of thin air,” she stated wisely. “The System Onji already confirmed the structures he is creating in our Souls include tools necessary to apply most of the possible changes. I am quite sure a proper workshop in Shrines is much more efficient in applying them,” she said, only confirming his suspicions. The System saves where it could.

  Hai... I am not even surprised it made a walking toolbox out of us all, the greedy schemer. We are probably just computing units in its global network of total information control, he thought with resignation. At least it created some semblance of the internet…

  “Not to mention, some people would rather not visit the cities at all if they could help it,” she said with nostalgia. “But with such restrictions, most are forced to be part of society, or at least interact with more populated areas,” she paused for a moment. “Or be worthy enough to earn an option to build a new Shrine for themselves.”

  Did I hear a tang of regret just now? he thought, tilting his head.

  But in the end, he didn’t have enough courage to ask. The following discussion would be uncomfortable at best, as he still wasn’t sure what he wanted to do in the future.

  They finished gathering their things in silence.

  Soon enough, the cart started rolling to the West. As always, Aisha was steering while P’pfel worked on some enchantments.

  Zeph made himself comfortable on the straw bed and started the process. The sleepiness that came right after overwhelmed him, despite his abnormal Will. He was out in seconds.

  ~~~

  Zeph woke up feeling dizzy.

  Slowly looking around, he tried to find his bearings, but too many sensations were fighting for his attention at once.

  They were still traveling, but the sun would soon hide behind the mountain peaks.

  The world around spun and doubled in his eyes when he tried to sit up. He fell back on the bed, groaning.

  “Ho, ho, ho! He woke up!” P’pfel welcomed him with a deep, as for him, laughter. “How are you feeling, Human?” he asked, accentuating the last word in a weird way.

  “Not so good,” he croaked. Some of the sensations overloading his brain sorted themselves out. “Water… please.” He would also ask for food, but chewing sounded like a bad idea right now. He didn’t trust his body.

  “Grrraaaaa!” Gru vibrated excitedly, helping him sort out the information overflow.

  P’pfel helped him to sit up and handled him a waterskin. Zeph gulped everything down in but a moment. Before he could ask for another one, the Gremling was already offering him a bowl of watered-down stew.

  Nobody spoke as he ravenously devoured bowl after bowl.

  Meanwhile, Gru explained to him some of the inputs. It seemed all of his Passive Enhancements now constantly worked at maximum efficiency – his Soul found another route to feed all of the information back to his body and brain. Previously, he had to concentrate on his Intuition to enable Soul perception on his Memory to access selected fragments of ‘Memories of the Earth' written in his Soul, or on Willpower to get a better feel of his Mana. Though, in the last case, he almost always used pure Will instead.

  The dam was broken. The stream overflowing. Everything worked with impossible clarity.

  Everything worked all at once.

  Besides that, his body was sending him a multitude of new sensations. Power, Flexibility, and Regeneration felt stronger, and did something… new.

  As his mind was parsing through new information, it adapted. Somehow, the unnatural speed of his brain adaptation was also noticed and returned as another information input.

  It was ridiculous.

  “This is NOT what I was expecting,” he said, finally finding a semblance of mental balance.

  “Ha! I bet you didn’t! System Onji wasn’t either,” Aisha cheerfully exclaimed from the front seat. “Congratulations on getting your first full-body Modification! You even gained it for free,” she laughed saying that. “I have a strong feeling the Onji is quite grouchy right now. I don’t think we will hear from them anytime soon,” she giggled.

  “Huh? What does that mean? What happened?” he asked, looking between the two.

  “Complications – is what happened,” P’pfel the professor answered. “The process started normally, but after three hours the Mana density started to rise dramatically, and we received a warning from the System to not move you around because the process needs additional support.”

  “It was quite nice,” Aisha said dreamily. “Some local, high-level animals came to check the commotion. I hadn't seen a Fowlbear in quite some time, a rare sight indeed,” she happily explained, stopping the cart.

  “And how do you know I have a full-body Modification now?” he asked suspiciously, checking his body for visual changes.

  “Because my diagnostic Skills are returning gibberish,” she said, hopping to the back to join them. “And because I expected System Onji to say hello after going out of their way to interfere directly. You probably cost them dearly,” she finished, sitting on a crate. Her head tilted. “But what are you waiting for? Read the notifications already!”

  Gremling nodded enthusiastically. “And explain what you ca—” a bonk to the head shut him up.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  “Knowledge costs. Don’t abuse your situation,” she admonished sternly, then gestured for Zeph to continue.

  “Ah, sure. Give me a moment…”

  Wow. Just… Wow, he thought in morbid fascination. A chain reaction of bad decisions… But why am I so calm about it?

  See? I knew you can do it!

  Oho… and some Universal Points for me?!

  Or not…

  …

  At least they are fair, I suppose?

  “Oi! We’ve got to talk,” he exclaimed, threatening the notification with his fist. “When I finally get to a fucking Shrine!”

  “Problems?” Aisha asked.

  “I may have to visit Shines every time something changes again… All because they fucked up,” he said angrily, crossing his arms.

  “Eh, don’t worry. I am sure they are just teasing you,” she said, consoling him—“As if they would pass chances like this one. You are basically agreeing to be Onji’s lab rake for free, heh.”—or maybe not.

  “A lab rake, whose dead body means your contract won’t be fulfilled,” he deadpanned in response.

  She froze in realization, her mouth still half-open.

  Before she could recover, he focused back on the notifications, checking the new entries in detail.

  He blinked slowly after reading it. No Will dissipation until I die… Regrowing organs, brain included, until my Soul leaves the body… Well, as long as my body is intact… Recovering recently lost Soul fragments… Unshakable mental balance…

  He shook his head, and read further. Maybe I am just misinterpreting…

  Okay… That sounds normal. Let’s check the one before…

  He read it once more.

  Nope. Nothing changed…

  He closed his eyes.

  I am Dragon.

  Interface: