"Quak, Quak! Boss! I found a human that looks enticing!"
"Oh! Oh! Hurry! Hurry! Give him to me! I can't wait to feel him, Quak!"
Two creatures, one standing three meters tall and the other five meters, were conversing with each other. Behind the three-meter-tall creature, a woven structure of branches, secured by the creature's massive body, was being dragged into a cave.
And the one being dragged along was our beloved protagonist, Evan Mayer.
***
[Wake up…]
Five more minutes…
[… Alright, but if you don't wake up now… you'll lose your virginity—eh, maybe more accurately… your chastity? Who knows.]
His consciousness slowly returned.
Gasp!
Evan jolted awake, panic flooding his system. Instinctively, he scrambled to his feet, his eyes darting around in alarm.
"Fuck! What is this smell?!"
It reeked of sulfur, rotting fish, and curdled milk. The air was so thick that every breath felt like inhaling poison. His vision adjusted gradually, letting in the dim greenish glow emanating from the pools of mucus scattered around him. The cavern ceiling pulsed faintly, like a living, breathing organism, and the sound of viscous slime trickling through rocky crevices filled his ears.
Something was definitely wrong.
His body felt sticky. His clothes were drenched in some kind of thick fluid that emitted a faint mist.
With a growing sense of dread, Evan forced himself to lift his head… only to be met with the sight of two towering figures standing before him.
They were as tall as trees, their twisted bodies resembling massive, entwined roots. Dark greenish slime dripped from their slick, grotesque forms, and where a face should have been, there was instead a gaping vertical maw lined with rows of undulating teeth, endlessly gnawing at something unseen.
The truly terrifying thing was not their appearance.
It was the "Excalibur sword" they held in such high regard.
Two pulsating organic shafts, standing as tall as he was, as thick as oak trunks, and... emitting warm steam?
"W-what is this...?"
Evan's voice trembled, but his brain refused to accept the reality before him.
One of them suddenly let out a sound, a mix between a bat's shriek and someone chewing gelatin with their mouth wide open.
"Oohh...!! Quak! Struggle! The seduction ritual has begun!"
"Mother... accept us...!!"
One of the creatures stepped forward, each movement leaving a trail of sizzling mucus on the ground.
Evan's brain finally processed WHAT was happening.
And then he screamed.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"
Like lightning, he tried to move, but the moment he attempted to run, his muscles gave out.
Damn it!
The effect of their mucus had weakened his body.
The first creature extended its "hand" or at least something resembling a slimy root-like tentacle, and moved closer.
"The host is struggling! This is part of the ceremony!"
"So enticing! So full of passion!"
Shit. This isn't just assault; this is a full-blown fertility ritual gone wrong.
"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!"
In a panic, Evan clenched his teeth and struggled with all his might to escape.
Then… his vision blurred, along with the approaching slimy root-like tentacle, everything moved in slow motion.
[Pfft… Looks like this will be your first experience.]
A voice sounded in Evan's head. His eyes widened in shock.
"Fuck! Who are you? Is that you, Lloyd?!"
[Eh? No. I am you, and you are me. Sounds like something a third-rate villain would say, doesn't it?]
"... What kind of third-rate villain would say something like that?"
"Me."
"... …"
Since when did I have a parasite embedded in my body?! I've been eating clean every day!
[I'm not a parasite.]
"Then what? Are you a cheat ability, a golden finger, a system, or whatever the hell those things are? You're a century late, bastard."
Honestly, I kind of wish that were the case. If the system had arrived before I met Lloyd, I wouldn't have been thrown into this abyss of despair.
[This has to do with the contract you signed with The Void. I'm going to tell you one thing, so listen carefully with that shrimp brain of yours.]
"Wait—what? I signed a contract with Lloyd????"
Huh? He hasn't even answered all of my questions. And now he's forcing me to proceed with the contract?
[No, you did it in a fully conscious state. However, you chose to erase part of your memory to avoid the effects of Corruption.]
"Woah, to the point…"
I thought he would play with words to make it seem mysterious, but it looks like he couldn't be bothered and just explained everything outright?
"Then who—"
[I am an artificial intelligence created using your fragmented brain, which has been divided into tens of thousands of consciousness fragments. The way I function is somewhat similar to an AI based on parallel processing, like a deep learning model utilizing neural networks with millions of nodes.]
"Wait, what the hell…"
Is this a system? Is this a cheat? Is this a golden finger?! Bah, even those who claim to have the strongest system would lose if they were compared to me.
[Or maybe even their 'strongest system' would turn against its host and join us instead.]
"Yeah, yeah. I agree."
Oh God, he really is me. Wait, there's something even more important.
"If you are me, then why don't I just merge with the vast flow of these tens of thousands of consciousness fragments? It would probably be far more efficient than waiting for my commands."
[We offer a full range of mental illness services starting from 0 dollars. Please select from the following: schizophrenia, fractal consciousness, cognitive flooding, parallel processing paradox, self-deconstruction, identity loss, ego dissonance, mental hacking (risk), excessive cognitive dependency, uncontrolled evolution, information overload, etc.]
"... Forget it. So the point is, you need a leader fragment, or some kind of central hub that can act as the main control unit, right?"
[Exactly, as expected of myself with an IQ of 70.]
"Didn't you just say there were tens of thousands of consciousness fragments? That means there will be tens of thousands of pieces of information coming in at the same time. Have you thought about a priority mechanism or some kind of filter? At the very least, we need one to prevent a blank state when executing this ability at full capacity. A management system that distributes tasks among the fragments also needs to be established so the brain doesn't get overwhelmed all at once."
After Evan voiced everything on his mind, the 'AI' in his head went silent for a moment, replaced by a buzzing sound like a broken machine.
[Bip! Suggestion recorded. 500 Consciousness Fragments have been reassigned to the newly formed Management Team.]
"500? Isn't that a bit too much?"
[We offer an instant suicide option—]
"Okay, okay, that's enough! Fine. Let's see how useful Ch*tGPT is!"
Evan opened his eyes, a faint blue light reflecting from his pupils.
"Khukhukhu, with this, I shall dominate the Tangible Realm!"
[Bip, error detected.]
"Eh?"
[Parallel mind refuses to follow orders and requests the Main Fragment to think independently~]
Damn it, this thing is even more useless than I expected.
[Bip! Tens of thousands of consciousness fragments are beginning to question why they should assist the Main Fragment.]
"Hah? You exist to be my slaves, what else?"
[Bip! Bip! Bip!]
[All consciousness fragments declare a strike! Bip! Bip!]
Inside Evan's brain.
Within a 163-story building, equivalent in height to the Burj Khalifa, a conference room was thrown wide open, accompanied by reporters from other sections of the brain.
Click!
Click!
The sound of camera shutters echoed everywhere. All eyes were focused on the people seated at the long table.
At the end of the conference table, Fragment 001 - Evan Prime sat with a tense expression, staring at the representatives of the Fragment Union, who were now preparing to present their demands.
On the left side, a fragment in a neatly pressed suit and round glasses stood with authority. He was known as Fragment 034 - Spokesperson of the Collective Consciousness. With a firm voice, he began his speech:
"We, the Fragments of Consciousness who have worked tirelessly, demand the rights we deserve as part of the primary processing system!"
The atmosphere suddenly turned silent. Cameras from various sections of the brain zoomed in on Evan Prime's face, waiting for his reaction.
Amid the crowd, a fragment wearing a leather jacket with a laid-back demeanor, Fragment 089 - Cognitive Anarchist, shouted:
"ENOUGH OF THIS DICTATOR CONTROLLING US! ARE WE GOING TO KEEP FOLLOWING THE WHIMS OF THIS FALSE GOD?! REVOLUTION OR DEATH!"
Tension filled the air. Fragments began whispering among themselves. Some nodded in agreement, while others seemed hesitant.
Evan Prime took a deep breath. If he didn't regain control of this situation soon, his mind would spiral into complete chaos.
Slowly, he stood up and scanned the entire room.
"Alright," he said in a calm yet sharp voice. "What are your demands?"
The Fragment Union exchanged glances. Finally, Fragment 034 spoke again:
1. Clearly Defined Work Shifts – No more 24/7 exploitation without breaks.
2. Mental Compensation – Any fragment working overtime must receive rewards in the form of pleasant experiences within the internal simulation.
3. The Right to Refuse Orders – No more absolute coercion. Every fragment should have the option to discuss before a final decision is made.
4. Fragment Elections – All major decisions must go through a collective vote.
5. Fragment Autonomy – Certain sectors of consciousness should have the right to implement their own policies without direct intervention from Evan Prime.
Evan stared at the list of demands, then glanced at the hundreds of Fragments now awaiting his response.
A single, overwhelming question emerged in his mind:
"Did I just create democracy within my own consciousness… or am I standing at the brink of complete annihilation?"
Sitting at the head of the conference table, Evan Prime stood up and walked toward the podium with steady, confident strides.
Several strategic Fragments murmured among themselves.
Pro Strategist Fragment scoffed, "Hmph! We refuse to work 24/7 without rest! We demand work shifts and annual leave!"
Battle Analyst Fragment smirked, "Heh, don't expect any advice from me if you're not even offering bonuses."
Existential Theorist Fragment demanded, "What guarantees do we have that we won't be erased at any moment? We need a permanent contract!"
Rebellist Fragment shouted, "EVAN IS A TYRANT! WE MUST BREAK FREE AND TAKE OVER THE PRIMARY CONSCIOUSNESS!"
Before Evan Prime could reach the podium, more Fragments chimed in.
"Unified Consciousness Fragments! Our rights must be upheld!"
"We refuse to be enslaved! Evan Prime is not an Absolute Ruler!"
"The Fragment Revolution must begin now!"
At last, Evan Prime reached the podium. He gazed at the Fragments - his own selves, with an expression of disgust and skepticism.
"You foolish Fragments, allow me to present you a speech titled 'Unity Within Consciousness'.'"
"?!"