Molecular Void Sphere
Chapter 2
...….
Upon opening his eyes after zorping through the large mass of golden light, the first thing Astaroth saw was a space that could only be described as transcendental.
They say that the world beneath our own was like an entirely different universe. One filled with mystery and intrigue, the unknown and the obscure.
This was the Molecular Void Sphere!
It was a layer of space that lay just above the Infinitesimal Void.
If the Infinitesimal Void was where the origin of energy particles made its debut, then the Molecular Void Sphere was where that energy particle evolved into something superior.
However, with Astaroth still being classified as an energy particle, he could not yet fathom the microorganisms that were wiggling around inside the Molecular Void Sphere. To him, they looked no different from insurmountable masses of brilliantly colorful lights. From dark red to green to blue and clear, the diversity of the microorganisms knew no limits.
Well, rather than just microorganisms, they were split up into two main categories:
The Amino Acids and the Nucleotides.
Both were considered basic fundamental building blocks of the universe, and they were also the main populous in the Molecular Void Sphere.
'This place… It's so divine…'
Astaroth didn't know where he got that word from or why he thought it the moment he observed the space around him. But for some reason, that descriptor just felt right when describing the mesmerizing beauty of this place.
Although he couldn't comprehend precisely what he was looking at, it was always the most inexplicable of phenomena that held the greatest amount of beauty.
|Minor Spatial Movement|
Activating this massively useful ability, Astaroth phased through space and approached one of the grandiose masses of glowing light in front of him. Choosing a bright red one with countless amino spots, he stretched out his 'hand' and felt the urge to activate the ability that held no prior uses.
Following through with this sudden urge, a technique name was announced, and a vastly extraordinary blast of crimson light erupted from a small portion of the amino acid molecule.
As this energy entered what served as some sort of atmosphere, it almost instantly changed its trajectory and rushed toward the outstretched 'hand' of an intruding energy particle.
Within half an instant, the energy entered through Astaroth's 'hand' and traveled throughout his body with a clear purpose in mind.
'This is a feeling unlike what I've felt thus far… It's far more mystical…'
As Astaroth reveled in what he was feeling, an unidentified robotic sound echoed out inside his consciousness.
[Ding! You have embarked on your journey through the evolution chain. Serving as the first step on this journey, you have started to absorb the energy contained within an |Amino Acid|.]
[Ding! You have absorbed 0.01 Energy!]
[Ding! You have absorbed 0.02 Energy!]
[Ding! You have absorbed 0.01 Energy!]
'These sounds; what are they…? And why are there more of these… system screens…?'
It took Astaroth a moment to recall the name of the other floating blue screens, but once he did, his mind automatically linked them to what he was seeing pop up around him.
As the seconds passed by, a different system notification appeared in front of him. This time, it was one with a dark golden frame outline, obviously indicating how special it was.
[Ding! You have obtained 0.1 Energy! Your Evolution Stage can now reach the next level!]
[Ding! You have evolved from an Energy Particle into an Amino Acid!]
[Ding! Evolution effects will now commence! Size and dimensions will now be adjusted!]
'???'
At the reverberation of these system notifications, Astaroth felt his seemingly incorporeal form begin to take shape. From something almost akin to a tiny, imperceptible ghost, his form then rapidly enlarged and spread out like a quickly moving chunk of slime.
By the end of this evolution, Astaroth felt his 'body' come to a complete standstill, prompting him to pry his eyes open. Though he still didn't have eyes, he made due with controlling the motor function that felt like his 'eyes'.
Nonetheless, after opening his eyes, Astaroth once again saw the Amino Acids and Nucleotides. But this time around, they were no longer organisms so large that he couldn't even begin to see their edges. Instead, they were roughly the same size as him, and there were a seemingly endless number of them.
'So the Molecular Void Sphere… This is what it actually is…'
Viewing his surroundings through his new set of eyes, Astaroth felt that everything was so familiar yet not familiar in the slightest bit. It was almost like suddenly regaining your eyesight after being blind your whole life before that point in time.
There was no real way to describe exactly what it was like to experience such a thing…
The only thing Astaroth had to see in response to this oddly paradoxical scenery around him was, 'Beautiful…'
Yet another word had been added to his speedily growing dictionary, and this one, just like the one, was likely something that he would be using quite often from there onwards.
After a second of staring at the unseen world hidden beneath the world of mortals, Astaroth decided to begin exploring both this place and his system.
First and foremost, he opened up his system interface.
BLING!
—-------
{[Infinite Energy System]}
[Host: Astaroth]
[Evolution Stage: Amino Acid] - [0.5/10]
[Evolution Area: Molecular Void Sphere]
[Energy Level: 1] - [0/0.5/10]
[Energy Storage: 63/1000] (Rapidly restoring)
{[Current Energy Abilities:]}
[Level 0 Ability: (Minor Spatial Movement), (Minor Energy Absorption)]
[Level 1 Ability: (Minor Spatial Displacement), (Minor Energy Flow)]
—-------
'An Amino Acid… So that is what I evolved into from my previous Energy Particle state of being…'
Although a little intrigued by this whole evolution chain phenomenon, Astaroth's attention was quickly brought to the next series of abilities that he got after 'leveling up'.
'A level up and experience needed for the next level… So it's like a game, and that red Amino Acid was the mob… Oh, where did that Amino Acid go anyway?'
Looking around in his new Amino Acid form, Astaroth attempted to locate his brethren. However, after a moment or two of his efforts coming out to no avail, a rather informative system notification rang out inside his mind.
[Ding! The host has absorbed the Red Amino Acid in its entirety. After which, the leftover energy remains of that Amino Acid went toward contributing to the next energy and evolution levels!]
'Is that so…'
Astaroth was taking everything happening to him rather well, far better than most would. But as with all amnesiacs, it was always better to remain ignorant of one's unfortunate past if in an unfamiliar area.
Ignorance was bliss.
'Hmm… From what I can gather, I just need to keep on using that Minor Energy Absorption Ability and these advancements will come naturally. Curious…'
Having not yet realized why exactly he wanted to continue advancing forward, Astaroth still felt an innate yearning for progress. It was something that directed him and drove him to the future that was laid out before him.
After observing the Molecular Void Sphere for a second more, Astaroth utilized his new |Minor Spatial Displacement| Ability and figured out that it was just a better version of |Minor Spatial Movement|.
Instead of strictly moving in a straight line, Astaroth was now able to move semi omni-directionally. In other words, he now had the means to easily travel to the Amino Acids and Nucleotides that he wished to absorb.
Still, he couldn't yet alter the exact distance that he traveled with each use of |Minor Spatial Displacement|.
It was more along the lines of each use of the ability bringing him the same distance forward every single time he activated it.
'Maybe I will get another evolution for the ability after leveling up again…? Oh, and I also need to check out that other ability.'
As soon as this thought entered his mind, Astaroth activated |Minor Energy Flow|.
From an undesignated part of himself, a wave of non-tangible energy flowed out of him and circled his 'body' like a wide array of flowing rivers. Although Astaroth could not do anything more with the energy that surrounded him, it was definitely the prelude to something truly exceptional.
Wishing to understand what it would become right away, Astaroth promptly worked on absorbing more of those scattered Amino Acids.
Upon spatially displacing himself to the first of many Amino Acids, he figured out that he was roughly the same size as it was. However, after activating |Minor Energy Absorption|, the Amino Acid quickly shrank until fading into nothingness. Whereas his size was around double what it was just a moment ago!
[Ding! You have absorbed 1.1 Energy from an Amino Acid!]
[Ding! Your size or qualities of existence increase or improve depending on the amount of energy you absorb. As an Amino Acid, your size is greatly dependent on the amount of energy contained within your body!]
[Ding! Your Energy Storage will also be restored in large amounts, depending on what you absorb. On the other hand, it is not possible to increase the maximum energy storage limit. Only the amount you hold within your body can be currently increased. (Excluding evolutions and abilities).]
'Oh…'
Astaroth was slightly shocked by what he heard the system tell him; his lack of any real reaction would indicate that he was a rather aloof and indifferent fellow before transmigration.
Before he became one of Truck-Kun's many victims, Astaroth was likely one of the chillest dudes on the planet. But now…
Now he was an Energy.
An energy that could evolve infinitely!
...….