VIII

Jikein's eyes snapped open. With blurry sight, he started coughing from the small particles of carbon entering his lungs. He reached out for something to help him stand but found none and his hands ended up aimlessly flying in the open space. Smokes were everywhere. After a few struggles to stand, he tore the sleeve of his grey suit and covered his nose as he dashed toward the exit. With a swiping motion, the entrance to the ship slid open and he dove out.

A sigh of relief left him as he surveyed his surrounding. The scorched earth beneath his feet was still hot, a few embers could be seen. Fortunately, the smokes were scattered outside where there is a vast amount of space compared to the tight and enclosed space inside the ship.

Suddenly, Jikein stiffened after remembering the creature made of fire. After surveying his around once more, he found no clue of the being and presumed that it moved to another place.

Jikein's posture relaxed as he cast his gaze at the green and yellow leaves in the distance.

>>Planet Heern. Phesis System. No Record of Intelligent Life Form.<<

When Jikein finished reading the notification, another one popped up in his vision.

>>You belong to a primordial race and your body can easily adapt to any atmosphere of any inhabitable planets.<<

"Primordial, huh?" Jikein frowned and pondered. Suddenly, he started sniffing the air and found an odor he can't tolerate. He immediately retreated back into the ship while the smokes are escaping outside.

>>Congratulations! You have survived The Wrath of the gods. You now have the right to name yourself.<<

"Whatever will do." Jikein murmured after thinking for awhile and unable to come up with one.

>>If I may? You will be called Kzel from the language of your own kind, the Rzirs, meaning 'Dark Prince'. You will become either their ruler and saviour or the one that brings catastrophic events in the material plane. If you take this identity, a new storyline will open.<<

Jikein pretended to think for a moment, but he never really had any interest in making another. 'Kzel' was already a good one. It's definitely unique.

"Accept." Jikein responded and a dark mist started to envelope him. After that, a thin black line started to stretch from the right side of his forehead down to his right eye and continued to his chest and leg, ending on his middle toe.

>>You have successfully taken the identity. Paths have been chosen for you. Will you take the universal domination or the path of single-handedly dispatching countless foes?

Kneel before me? Or kneel before us?

Which will it be?<<

Tough choice. Jikein pondered at the choices for almost an hour.

"What did it mean of 'us'?" He spent another minute of thinking about the meaning of the word until realization dawned upon him.

In reality, a one-man army does not exist but can be found in stories and movies. However, an unstoppable one-flag one-race can't be found.

"This only comes one time. Better not regret this." Jikein let out a chuckle as he answered to the system, "Kneel before us!"

Something snapped in space and vibrated. Jikein's heart pounded fast when he felt that he was the center of the anomaly. When everything went normal, he calmed himself and started reading another notification.

>>You have received Ancestral Curse.

Since the beginning of creation where a competition for perfection is at its peak, Rzirs have been loathed by the gods because of their advance Terraforming that allowed them to shape any system to their own liking. It is also possible that they can reshape the universe to their patrons' idealogy.

Expect volumes of unparalleled dangers.<<

Jikein's face turned ugly.

>>Unlocked the Lore of the Rzirs.

There's no records depicting the Rzirs in the old and new civilizations, except from myths that were derived from its fellow Primordials.

One example is the World Killers, The Ten'rak, patronising the first Wargod. These violent beings finally met their match on the borders of the Dark Quadrant. After countless large scale battles, the Rzirs almost drove the Ten'rak to extinction. With the divine intervention of the Ten'rak's deity, the Rzirs returned to the darkness never revealing themselves for eons. Some of the powerful primordials regarded the Rzirs as war-like beings, never investigating the reason for their frenzied behaviour.

A Rzir can sleep for tens of thousands of years to ease their long earned mental stress. They have lost the ability to age pass their prime, but can mentally end their life after sensing that they have fulfilled their purpose in life.

Although they are beings of the darkness, they love colorful things. Their hubs are installed with light emitting technologies.

Once in a while, a Rzir would independently leave the Dark Quadrant to investigate foreign cultures with a cloaked ship. They would dress as one of the aliens using the most advance nano technology, and start their long study. They would return to the Dark Quadrant and share their findings to their fellow curious Rzirs.

No one knows how exactly did the Rzirs offended many beings. They are very secretive and mysterious. Once they're gone, so are the records of many diverse culture that are not existent anymore.

Unlock more when accessing the Dark Archive or the records of other Primordials!<<

"Wait!" Murmured Jikein, eyes twitching "How did I come up with one-flag one-race when I'm the only one left?"

>>New Talent Unlocked!

Force Exploit

-Rzirs are beings of the darkness and are naturally talented in manipulating the flow or awakening the dormant forces. The same can be said on their supreme graviton physics that is beyond imagination.

Unlocked Basic Skills!

[Push]

-Exert your will into a gush of pure force. Damage depends on the exerted force and impact.

[Mind Over Matter]

-Make objects move with your mind.

[Force Center]

-Exerted forces are increased by 20%

Unlocked Dark Affinity!

-When in darkness, receive a boost in all stats. Senses are also enhanced. Wounds are instantly healed.<<

Jikein instinctively reached for his wounds and bruises. He tapped on his body but found no sign of any damaged tissues. They were totally healed.

"Wow!"