Leon, as the system insisted—clung to the plant fiber's remnants, his four specks working overtime.
[Food Level: 100%. Splitting now.]
"Here we go," he thought, bracing himself. The familiar tug hit—a weird stretch, then a snap, no pain, just a shift. Four became eight, his awareness spreading like a net over the new specks. All him, all linked, still chewing on the same stringy plant bit.
[Split complete. Entity B-741: 8 specks. Evolution Interface activated.]
"Eight," he muttered, feeling the weight of it. Not weight, exactly—no body, no mass to speak of—just a sense of being more. "Alright, system, hit me with it. What's on the menu?"
The Interface popped up, crisp in his mind like a glowing screen.
[Evolution Interface: Pick one.
Toxin Shield: Neutralize harmful substances 30% better.
Micro Swarm: Coordinate specks for 10% faster movement.
Nutrient Hoard: Store 20% more food for lean times.]
He chewed on the options, his specks idly nibbling the plant fiber while he thought. "Toxin Shield's solid—jungle's probably crawling with poison crap. Micro Swarm sounds like Cluster Mode's cooler better for dodging trouble. Nutrient Hoard… eh, I'm eating fine now, but starving later would suck." He paused. "Gotta keep moving smart. Micro Swarm—let's make these specks dance."
[Selection confirmed. Micro Swarm acquired. Speck coordination improved, movement speed +10%.]
A faint hum ran through him, like his specks were syncing up. He tested it, nudging all eight together. They slid along the fiber—not fast, but smoother, like a tiny fleet instead of a clumsy blob. "Alright," he thought, a grin in his voice. "That's more like it."
[Food Level: 0%. Next Split: 22 hours.]
"Back to zero," he sighed, but the new rhythm kept him sharp. The plant fiber was nearly gone, just a few threads left. "Gotta find more food before I'm chewing dirt."
The jungle didn't care about his plans. Up above, something heavy crashed through the underbrush—twigs snapping, leaves crunching. Down here, the ground shivered, a faint ripple through the muck. Leon froze, his specks huddling instinctively.
"What the hell was that?" he thought.
[Environmental disturbance detected. Large organism, proximity: 0.5 meters. No immediate threat.]
"Large organism?" His mind flashed to monsters—lizards, snakes, or worse, some magic-world freak with claws and glowing eyes. "Define 'large,' system. We talking dog-sized or dragon?"
[Insufficient data. Mass estimate: 10-15 kilograms. Movement pattern: foraging.]
"Foraging," he muttered, calming a fraction. "So, what, a pig?.
The fiber was tapped out, barely a scrap left. He scanned his options—stay put and hope for crumbs or roll the dice and drift. "System, any food nearby? I'm not vibing with 'starve' as a plan."
[Scanning… Nutrient source detected. Decomposing insect carapace, proximity: 0.04 millimeters. Nutrient density: moderate.]
"Insect carapace," he echoed, picturing a beetle shell, all shiny and cracked. "Better than nothing. How do I get there?"
[Microbial drift recommended. Detach and utilize environmental currents. Micro Swarm enhances control.]
"Drift again," he groaned, but the memory of Acid Spit's payoff kept him moving. "Fine, let's ride the muck train." He loosened his grip, all eight specks easing off the fiber together. Micro Swarm made it clean—they moved as one, no stragglers. A faint current—maybe water, maybe slime—caught them, and they tumbled through the dark, a tiny squad in sync.
It was quick, a heartbeat of blind spinning before they hit something hard and slick. He latched on, specks spreading across the surface like they owned it.
[Relocation successful. New host: insect carapace. Nutrient intake resumed.]
"Nice," he thought, digging in. The carapace was tougher than the plant, but Acid Spit went to work, sizzling through the chitin like it was butter. His specks tore into it, the +15% eating speed stacking with Eat Faster for a smooth grind.
[Food Level: 10%. Next Split: 21 hours.]
"Back in business," he said, settling in. The jungle kept its chaos—distant hoots, a low growl somewhere far off—but down here, it was just him and the shell. His eight specks worked in rhythm, Micro Swarm keeping them tight, Acid Spit melting the tough bits. Time blurred, the system chiming updates as he chewed.
[Food Level: 30%. Next Split: 19 hours.]
The carapace was holding up, plenty to eat, but Leon's mind wandered. That mana thing nagged at him. "High-magic world," he thought, turning it over. "So what's out there? Wizards? Demons? Am I gonna bump into a fireball someday?" He snorted, the idea absurd. "Yeah, right. I'm a germ. Closest I'll get to magic is if a fairy farts on me."
Still, it lit a spark. "System," he said, mid-bite. "This mana stuff—can I, like, use it? Or is it just floating around being sparkly?"
[Query: Mana interaction. Analyzing… Entity B-741 lacks mana-sensitive structures. Current form incompatible with direct mana manipulation.]
"Incompatible," he grumbled. "Figures. So I'm just a mundane germ in a wizard world."
[Addendum: Evolutionary adaptations may enable mana interaction at higher population thresholds. Data insufficient.]
"Higher population," he latched onto that, a flicker of hope. "So if I keep splitting, I might get a shot at the good stuff?"
[Speculation beyond current parameters. Directive: sustain division, monitor environmental mana.]
"Monitor," he echoed, dry as dust. "Sure, I'll keep an eye out while I'm eating bug ass." He refocused, specks tearing into the carapace. The system went quiet, leaving him to his thoughts.
[Food Level: 50%. Next Split: 17 hours.]
"Halfway," he muttered, pushing harder. The carapace was thinning in spots, but Acid Spit kept it manageable, melting the tough chitin into something his specks could handle. He nudged them along, Micro Swarm making the shuffle easier, keeping his little crew tight.
Then the ground shook again—not a ripple, but a hard jolt, like something heavy hit the dirt nearby. His specks froze, Cluster Mode locking them in place.
"Again?" he snapped, pulse spiking even without a heart. "System, what's out there?"
[Disturbance detected. Organism, proximity: 0.2 meters. Mass estimate: 5-10 kilograms. Behavior: aggressive.]
"Aggressive?" His mind raced—claws, teeth, something hunting. "That's not a pig. What's it doing?"
[Engaging secondary organism. Conflict detected. No direct threat to current position.]
"Conflict," he repeated, a chill running through his thoughts. He hesitated, then pushed his specks back to work. "Screw it. Not my circus, not my monkeys. Keep eating."
[Food Level: 60%. Next Split: 16 hours.]
Hours passed, the system ticking updates as the fight upstairs faded. The carapace was down to scraps, but he'd milked it good.
[Food Level: 90%. Next Split: 12 hours.]
"Almost there," he thought, a grim satisfaction settling in. The jungle stayed loud—clicks, rustles, a distant roar—but nothing came close. He nudged his specks, Micro Swarm keeping them smooth, and prepped for the next move. "Gotta find more food soon."
[Scanning… Nutrient source detected. Organic residue, proximity: 0.05 millimeters. Nutrient density: high.]
"High density?" His interest spiked. "What's it made of? More bug bits?"
[Composition: unknown organic matter.]
[Relocation advised. Detach and drift.]
"On it," he said, hyped. He loosened his specks, Micro Swarm keeping them tight as they slipped off the carapace. The current caught them—faster this time, like the jungle was in a rush—and they spun through the muck, eight specks moving like a single dart.
They hit something soft, almost spongy, with a faint hum to it, like static in his head. He latched on, specks spreading out, and dug in.
[Relocation successful. New host: organic residue. Nutrient intake resumed.]
"Whoa," he thought, Acid Spit sizzling as he tore into it.
[Nutrient boost: +20% eating efficiency.]
"Twenty percent?" He laughed, a sharp bark in his head. "Stack that with Acid Spit and Eat Faster—I'm a damn food vacuum." His specks went to town, the residue breaking down fast, almost too easy.
[Food Level: 95%. Next Split: 10 hours.]
"Ten hours," he said, riding the high. "Eight to sixteen. Not bad for a germ." The jungle kept its chaos—something screeched far off, wings flapped—but he was locked in, specks humming, mind sharp. "Keep splitting, keep growing. Maybe I'll figure out this mana crap."
Status
Name: Leon (B-741)
Type: Bacterium
Specks: 8
Mind: One, split across all
Food Level: 95%
Next Split: 10 hours
Traits:
- Eat Faster: 20% quicker eating
- Cluster Mode: Sticks together, moves as one
- Micro Swarm: 10% faster movement
- Acid Spit: +15% eating speed via weak acid secretion
Next Upgrade: At 16 specks
Nutrient Points: 0