I left the crabs' scene feeling conflicted. I had sworn that I wouldn't run away, and walking away from that fight kinda felt like running away, so I made a point to walk away. I turned away from the beach and headed into the alien jungle. I felt that I should have been more interested in all the strange bioluminescent plants that illuminated the otherwise dark jungle. But I could help this feeling grow in my head. I realised it had been there since I awoke on the beach, but it grew more insistent and harder to ignore as time passed.
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It wasn't long until it was unbearable. I sighed in frustration and tried to focus on what that feeling was trying to tell me. That's when I noticed that what I had assumed to be another glowing plant was actually a little golden box right at the edge of my vision on the right-hand side. Frowning, I tried to turn my head to see it better, but it just stayed there. I focused on it and was almost knocked flat on my arse as a screen popped up.
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Congratulations! You have successfully killed a tyrant fiddler crab. You gained 0.5% evolution points.
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I started trying to grasp the situation. So the crab I'd killed had been called a tyrant fiddler crab. Fiddler crabs were from Earth. I'd remembered seeing them in a David Attenborough documentary. They were definitely earth creatures. I wondered if whatever had caused me to be reborn in this strange body was also responsible for the change in the crabs. If it had changed tiny crabs into those monstrosities, I dreaded to think what it had done to some of the more predatory organisms. I focused on the message again, stopping by a tall tree with blue leaves. I eyed the strange bird-like organisms with a strange beak that opened into three sharp, triangular mandibles lined with needle-sharp teeth. I wondered if they were going to swarm me, but they ignored me, focusing on large blue fruits that dripped a mango-scented juice.
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When I focused on the evolution part of the message, another box appeared, as if it read my mind.
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Evolution points are rewarded by the Monster System. These allow you to upgrade your abilities and eventually evolve your race. As a progenitor monster, you will gain evolution points at double the rate of normal monsters.
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Wow, what the hell did it mean to upgrade my abilities, and more importantly, what the hell was the Monster System? As soon as the thought crossed my mind, yet another box popped up.
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Welcome to the Monster System. As your universe has been forcefully integrated into the multiverse, this system has been created to ease the transition. While sentient races like the human you were before your recreation have access to the Tutorial System, giving them a period of three months to grow their skills and gain access to classes and professions. The monster system does not have access to classes; instead, it will boost your natural abilities and any abilities you learn, and allow you to evolve into stronger monster forms. This system will disappear once you've reached a Rank A. Please review your Stat sheet to see your abilities.
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Okay, so this system thing was to help me survive whatever all this cosmic bullshit was. I focused on the stat sheet, hoping the system would respond to my thoughts as it had been doing all along. I spared a look at those weird bird things, noticing they were gorging themselves on the odd fruit, squabbling amongst themselves.
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Name: Rakim Cisse
Race: unnamed
Monster Type: Unique
Rank: E, 0.51% evolution points (EP) to Rank: D
Stats:-
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Titles:-
Progenitor
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It was a damn stat sheet like a damn video game! I stared at it for a while, letting that strange understanding wash over me once more. I understood that the sheet was a guide of sorts. It would help me better understand my abilities and choose a direction in which I want to grow. It was strange until I saw that Race: Unnamed thing, it hadn't really occurred to me that I was completely not human. When I focused on it, a new message popped up.
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Race: Unnamed
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You are a unique existence. Despite your homeworld undergoing the Merger, you have somehow survived the change. The system has recognised you as a monstrous entity. It has made adjustments to your biology to suit you to this new world better; whether you succeed as a powerful predator or are hunted to extinction as prey is up to you.
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As the progenitor of your new species, you have the right to choose a name for yourselves. Do you wish to choose a name now? (Y/N) Warning: if you do not choose a name within the next 10 minutes, a randomly assigned name will be given based on your world's history and mythology.
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I explored the new understanding, trying to figure out if there was any special benefit to naming the species, but nothing came to me. I decided to let the system come up with a name. It was too hard, and I had no real idea what I looked like. Everything just felt so natural, even the tail. I couldn't even imagine living as a human without one. I just hoped the name wasn't something stupid.
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What really caught my eye, however, was the title Progenitor. I wondered if it meant I had to procreate and sire my whole new species on my own. That was going to be tough without any ladies about. Wait, that got me thinking the statsheet didn't say anything about sex. I still had my manly bits, but with all this system magic bullshittery, who knows what they did to me. I focused on Progenitor, hoping it would have some information, and sure enough, another screen popped up.
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Progenitor:
As the first of a new species, you have been given this title. You gain the ability to convert a member of any compatible species into a member of your race once a year. If the species is a compatible monster species, they will keep their former Racial abilities and gain access to those you wish to share with this ability. You will gain additional EP as other members of your race grow.
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I sighed in relief after reading the message. I would not have to search the Earth for ladies to carry my species. The EP thing was interesting; no new message appeared when I focused on it, but I guessed it was something like experience. As I grew stronger, I would eventually go through some sort of evolution like a Pokémon. I was a bit worried that evolution would be weird, and I hoped I'd have some input on what I looked like. It was one of those things I resigned myself to worrying about nearer the time.
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I turned to something else that caught my attention: my monster type. I wondered what that meant. If this followed videogame logic, were there any juicy benefits?
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Monster Type: Unique
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You have survived the integration of the planet Earth. As you were unable to enter the tutorial, you have been given a second chance at life as a monster. As a monster, you will not have access to the class and profession systems. You have higher base stats than those of the human species and access to evolution.
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As a unique monster, your monster system can be expanded to include the battle skill and Magic subsystems. These are only accessible once the conditions are met.
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Warning: as a monster-type entity, you will be hunted as a source of experience by adventurers. Your body parts will also be considered highly valuable for those with crafting professions. As a unique monster, you will be extremely desirable.
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Ah Shit!
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It sounded as though, as soon as all those fuckers returned in three months, it was going to be open season. I really needed to get a lot stronger and quickly. I had three months, and something told me I needed to get to my next evolution before then to have a chance at survival. Who knew what kind of crazy classes they'd get? I could already imagine it, some twat becoming an overpowered wizard throwing fireballs at my ass. I now had a plan—a vague plan with no idea where to start, but a plan nonetheless. I needed to get clothes, get stronger, and find somewhere remote to hole up. Oh, and exact my revenge when I evolve into my final form!!!! It's amazing what having a goal in mind does for the psyche.
