A Universe of Bloody Evolution

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"Netherum - Neutral tavern existing in a secluded Ever-Darkness dimension inside the Void. Owned and protected by a group of Furies, it is the best place to stop at if one is looking for a safe place to rest or meet with other denizens of the Void. Netherum follows a few simple rules, and anyone caught breaking them is swiftly disposed of."

~ Void's Geography by Dardon of Tariem

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Warning! Powerful external influence detected. Be careful.

Warning! Powerful external influence detected. Be careful.

Warning! Body intrusion detected, forced mutation is imminent. Brace yourself, User!

Warning! Soul intrusion detected, forced mutation is imminent. Brace yourself, User!

Warning! Body intrusion detected, forced mutation is imminent. Brace yourself, User!

Warning! Soul intrusion detected, forced mutation is imminent. Brace yourself, User!

Warning! Your forced mutation will start soon. Detected cause of the mutation: N/A. Estimated power of the mutation: N/A.

Warning! The User's current form might not be able to handle the imminent mutation. Stop the process at all costs! Death is a possible outcome.

....

....

....

A slew of notifications rained down onto his mind, bombarding Leo with the same lines of text over and over again. They all said one thing. To stop the process at all costs. Leo really had to wonder if he survived only due to his luck or the Traveler's interference.

You can think about it later, focus! Leo clenched his eyes shut, forcing his mind to process the messages and get rid of them as fast as possible. Essence still burned under his skin, yet it didn't attack or try to escape even as the last warning filtered past Leo's mind.

There were still over a dozen new notifications remaining. Still, after Leo read the first one, he was glad he didn't dismiss them. This kind of information could prove vital for what was coming.

You are now capable of surviving in your current environment. Ether life support deactivated.

Congratulations! You survived your first forced mutation. Beta Tier mutation gained: Heart of the Void. Mutation menu has been partially unlocked. Displaying the summary of your mutation.

Mutation: Heart of the Void (Beta Tier)
With your heart carved out, First Born's shard took its place and changed the base of your being. Follow the steps of the Void, the path of the Akirians, and become the true Legacy of the Void.
Effects:
Nikra's Essence has adapted to your blood. Your body is now capable of withstanding the Void's harsh conditions. Healing speed slightly improved. Soul effectiveness: +15%. Might effectiveness: +20%.

Great... Shard instead of heart. Also, shouldn't a beta tier be weaker, or am I missing something? Leo mused after he finished gaping at the notification.

"You were right, you know. And now I have even more questions..." Leo murmured and turned his head towards the other man.

The Traveler quirked an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"It affected my body and soul. Made me resistant to the Void. And..." Leo trailed off as his gaze fell to his naked chest.

"And the shard became your heart." The man chuckled when Leo's eyes widened. "Don't be surprised. It is pretty obvious where the shard went; besides, I was here when it happened. And please don't worry about telling me too much. Details about your existence are for you and only you. If you decide to share some of them, then fine. If you don't, I won't mind... Now, you have questions."

Leo shook his head lightly. While he didn't really trust the guy, the Traveler was the only person here who could help him. Leo just hated how vulnerable he was at the moment. I doubt I'd have as much luck with any other being from the Void. Call it a hunch.

Sighing, Leo looked at his companion again. "Mutations. How do they work inside the System? Also, what are Akirians?"

"Good questions," The Traveler nodded, scratching his chin. "One of my acquaintances calls Mutations a cheat code for those who embraced the Void. Partially they are correct. And I say partially because while only those who choose to evolve into a Void-borne can use natural mutations, others can also gain them, just not the natural ones. Apart from that, the System will explain everything. There is no point in me saying more when you will get a better explanation later."

Leo frowned; he really didn't want to wait. Oh well, beggars can't be choosers. He is still humoring me, so I can't complain.

"And Akirians?"

The Traveler visibly grimaced. "Here is where it gets complicated... Akirians are... well, they are a race that originates from the Void. If I had to describe them shortly, I would say they are an evolved version of Voidlings. They are more powerful, intelligent, and dangerous than ninety-nine percent of their predecessors."

"There is the faction from which they originate. How they and the Voidling race interact with the System, and so much more. Way too much for me to explain with our limited time..." He sighed, glancing at the infinite Void. "Full explanation will need to wait for our next meeting. Now, you really should go through the rest of the notifications. I know this couldn't be everything."

Leo opened his mouth to protest, but he quickly closed it. Technically he got his answer. The Traveler didn't need to promise more, yet he still did, so that was something.

Right... Let's see what else I got.

Connection to the Main System core partially established. Standard connection strengthened. Links absorbed: 1 of 9

What the fuck? Core? Links? Leo grumbled, and his eyes darted to the man sitting in front of him after a moment. Another thing to ask...

'Don't!'

"What?" Leo almost shouted as the familiar feminine voice echoed around him.

"Something's wrong?" The Traveler asked, his violet gaze glued on Leo. "We might not have time for full explanations, but you can still ask questions if something doesn't make sense."

It doesn't make sense, alright... Leo grumbled. Hello? Voice in my head? Nikra, or whoever you are? You can't just say 'don't' and leave.

Shaking his head, Leo turned his attention to the Traveler. "I..."

'Please.'

For fucks sake... Leo scowled, cutting off the question that almost left his lips. I am going mad. That must be it...

"Everything's fine." Leo shrugged, not understanding why he was listening to some random voice. "Just surprised by the numbers." I hope you are happy.

'Thank you.' The voice whispered faintly into Leo's ear, the words almost not registering in his mind.

Tell me who you are, and we can call it even. Leo shot back, not really expecting an answer. That's what I thought... Whatever. I can always ask the Traveler later if you can't speak up. Anyway...

Title: Nikra's Legacy gained. Previous titles assimilated. Displaying new description.

Nikra's Legacy:
The legacy of the first daughter has been born. Darkness follows your every step and the Void welcomes you in its domain. Will you do the same and embrace this new path?
Stacked Effects:
New evolutionary path available. Your soul is now partially synchronized with Nikra's Essence. Soul effectiveness: +10%. Might effectiveness: +10%.

New evolution option available. Please check your Evolution menu for more information.

Dramatic much? Leo quirked an eyebrow. Only five more percent to Might, but I won't say no to another evolution. And that synchronization... This might explain the voice's origins if it was indeed Nikra. Although I heard it even before that. Shit...

With every new notification, more questions appeared in Leo's mind. As much as he wanted to let them out and hear what the Traveler had to say, something held him back, tying his tongue in a knot. It is all your fault, voice. Leo groaned internally.

Mutation, Heart of the Void, forced a sudden evolution of your Essence. True Affinity: Shadow, trait gained.

True Affinity: Shadow (Rare)
Minor affinity born from the Darkness. What Shadow lacks in raw power, it makes up for in utility. Only imagination now stands in your way, don't let it stop you.
Effects:
Grants the ability to channel shadow affinity into your Essence. Natural evolution of affinity available due to its True form.

Warning! You are close to reaching the raw potential of your current race. Consider evolving soon.

A limit... Damn, how much one event can change. Although I probably shouldn't be surprised if Nikra was really some kind of a goddess.

And then there was the affinity. While Leo's Essence felt wilder, stronger, and more uncontrollable than before, he didn't notice any other changes. Channel shadow affinity into your Essence... Alright, but how?

Raising his gaze to meet the Traveler's glowing eyes, Leo nodded. "I think that's everything. Still have to check the new evolution I received, but it can wait for later. I could use a few answers first."

"New evolution?" The Traveler repeated before a smirk grew on his face. "That's good. While I doubt it is directly related to Nikra, your strengthened connection to the Void should grant you a better path. Something to definitely consider when the time to evolve comes."

Leo sighed, the last notification flashing in front of his eyes. "Yeah, that might happen faster than I expected..."

"Oh?"

"The System gave me a message that I'm close to the maximum raw potential of my race. What does it exactly mean?"

The Traveler tsked and murmured under his breath. "Should've thought of that... Anyway, to make a long story short. Reaching raw potential isn't as bad as it sounds, but it also isn't something good."

"Once you hit that point, you won't be able to level up anymore or improve your attributes. Skills are still fair game, but anything that has a chance of improving your attributes will be held back by the System. Harsh, I know, but still better than exploding from within because your form couldn't handle the strain." He shrugged.

Well shit. Leo grimaced at the image. "So I probably should evolve as soon as I can."

"Definitely," the man nodded. "There is no reason to wait if you have a good option available. Even then, sometimes it is worth choosing a weaker path instead of wasting too much time."

"Now," the Traveler continued as he produced a black metal rod out of nowhere. "Anything else to ask, or are we done here? They are getting pretty desperate."

Leo furrowed his brow. "They?"

The man scowled. "Different factions that also felt what happened here. None of them know about you or even Nikra's shard. Still, they definitely know that something powerful resides here. My barrier around this dimension is quite durable, but even I can't hold them off forever." The Traveler gave him a pointed look, "So... Questions."

Leo hesitated only for a moment. "Affinity. How do I access it?"

"Imagination, young Legacy," he grinned. "Use your mind. Think about the element you possess and let it encompass you. It is now a part of you, so if you call, it will answer."

For some reason, I doubt it is that easy... Leo scowled before quickly raising his hands to catch the metal rod and his backpack. "Huh?"

The Traveler nodded at the two items. "Your things and a way back to your planet. Also, a quick tip. Work on your soul. It is incredible what you can do when you master your own core. It will make carrying things easier for you."

Leo frowned as he inspected the rod. "You mean I can create something like a storage inside my soul?"

The man snorted. "When you put it like that, then yes. Now, as for the item you are holding. You only need to channel as much Essence into it as possible and stab it into the ground. The rod will follow the trail of your energy and take you back to your last location in the current Universe. It may be off by a small distance, but usually, it is pretty precise."

Leo again glanced at the rod and sent just a bit of Essence inside the item. The black metal sucked it in a second, much faster than Leo could even feed it. Okay, that's quite handy.

Suddenly, the entire dimension shook, the infinite space exploding in various colors. Leo cursed as he fell to the ground, the rod almost slipping away.

"Fuck!" The Traveler growled. "I guess I overestimated my strength, and our time is finally up." His glowing orbs snapped to Leo. "Listen carefully, boy. Many beings out there would like nothing more than to rip that shard out of you and use it themselves. If they find out what has occurred here, that's exactly what will happen."

He nodded to the rod in Leo's hands. "Use it now, and don't return to the Void until you are ready. And when you are, go to Netherum and find Tom. Tell him you need to meet Tarak. He will know what to do. Understood?

Leo nodded somewhat shakily, a steady stream of Essence already entering the rod.

The Traveler smirked and turned away. "Good. Until then, farewell, my friend. I need to ensure that no one will suspect that a shard of an Old One was here. This is gonna be so fun, I can already feel it..."

Without another word, the Traveler walked away, and immediately a glow began to build around his form. Leo quickly averted his gaze, and just when the world around shook again, he stabbed the rod into the ground, letting oblivion claim him.

This better work.