Decipher.

The silence in the abyss was almost deafening, broken only by the soft hum of Decipher's presence in my thoughts. Despite its assurances, I still felt an overwhelming sense of vulnerability in this alien body. I needed to move, to understand what I was, and to figure out how to survive in this abyss.

"Alright, Decipher," I muttered internally. "How do I even move these tentacles? It's not like I've got a manual for this."

⟨Manual not required. Focus on intent, Host. Your new form responds instinctively to mental commands. Attempt movement now.⟩

Intent, huh? I concentrated, imagining my tentacles pushing through the surrounding water. A tingling sensation ran down my body—if it could even be called that—and to my surprise, the tentacles responded. They swayed awkwardly at first, brushing against the water like wet noodles, but gradually, I found a rhythm.

⟨Adequate progress detected. Movement efficiency: 23%. Suggested improvement: Increase focus on directional intent.⟩

"I don't even know which direction I'm supposed to go!" I snapped, my frustration bubbling up. "You just said this is a sea cave—how about you give me a map or something?"

⟨Acknowledged. Initiating localized mapping based on current scan capabilities…⟩

A moment later, a faint mental image appeared in my thoughts—a rough outline of the cave's layout. It wasn't perfect, more like a vague sketch of tunnels and openings, but it was enough to orient myself.

"Better than nothing," I muttered, propelling myself forward.

The water around me felt heavier as I moved, I thought it was due me being deep under the water.

"Hey decipher! What are those arrow marks near both of my unique skills?"

The hum of Decipher's presence grew slightly louder in my thoughts, as if preparing to answer my question.

⟨The arrows indicate the presence of sub-skills within your unique abilities, Host. Each unique skill contains multiple sub-skills, which can be unlocked or improved under specific conditions.⟩

"Sub-skills?" I repeated, intrigued. "Why didn't you mention these earlier?"

⟨Information is provided as it becomes relevant, Host. Would you like an overview of your current sub-skills?⟩

I hesitated for a moment before nodding internally. "Yeah, show me what I'm working with."

A rush of information flooded my mind, almost like reading a set of instructions directly imprinted into my consciousness.

Unique Skill Decipher:

• Scan - Allows for basic environmental and entity analysis.

• Analysis - Provides detailed breakdowns of objects or creatures.

• Parallel Processing - Enables the host to multitask mental processes efficiently, such as analysing from multiple point of view simultaneously.

• Instant Cast - Facilitates immediate activation of spells without casting time.

Unique Skill Drain:

• Skill Extraction - Grants the ability to absorb skills from defeated enemies.

• Storage - Allows the storage of any physical or magical object, skill, or essence in a dormant state. Stored items can be accessed later.

• Isolation - Temporarily isolates a specific object or being from its surroundings. This prevents external interference or influence. Useful for preserving critical items.

• Mimic - Grants the ability to temporarily copy the appearance of the enemies defeated and drained their skills.

"Wait, so I can absorb skills?" I mused aloud, a grin forming on what I assumed would be my face if I had one. "You're telling me I can steal abilities from defeated enemies? That's kinda badass."

⟨Correct, Host. Skill Extraction allows you to take abilities from your foes. Use this power wisely, as not all abilities are compatible or useful.⟩

"Yeah, yeah," I replied, teasing. "But does that mean I can steal something cool? Like... fire breath? Or laser eyes? I'm kinda hoping for laser eyes."

⟨You must first defeat an appropriate entity and extract their skill. Your current abilities and form will limit your options until you encounter such entities. I suggest focusing on your immediate survival.⟩

"Aw, come on. No laser eyes for now? That's a bummer," I sighed, pretending to pout. "What am I supposed to do with all these tentacles then? I can't even throw a decent punch in this form."

⟨Tentacles are a versatile tool, Host. They can be used for navigation, defense, and offense. Try to focus on controlling them more effectively.⟩

"You're really pulling out the attitude now, aren't you, Decipher? You sure you don't have feelings?" I chuckled while listening to Decipher.

⟨This unit does not have feelings, Host. I am a logical assistant. Please focus on using your skills to survive the current situation. I can provide no further assistance with your attempts at humor.⟩

I chuckled, thoroughly entertained by the fact that Decipher was now sulking. I couldn't decide if it was impressive or just hilarious that a skill could behave this way.

"Alright, alright, I'll focus. Just don't get all moody on me," I said, still grinning. "But if I see anything cool like a dragon or a giant squid, you better believe I'll be ready to steal its best moves."

⟨Understood, Host. I will be sure to remind you when an opportunity presents itself. Just don't forget about our current predicament.⟩

With a deep sigh, I glanced around the cave again. The faint outline Decipher had shown me earlier was starting to become clearer in my mind. There were tunnels stretching out in all directions, and I needed to figure out which one would lead to safety or—at the very least—some answers.

"Alright, Decipher, let's focus on survival. I'll leave the 'laser eyes' for later, but we're getting out of this cave first. Got it?"

⟨Affirmative, Host. I will assist you in your survival efforts. Please ensure that your tentacles do not flail about unnecessarily.⟩

I couldn't help it; I chuckled again. It was nice to know that even in a strange, alien body, with a mission ahead, I could still have a little fun with my sarcastic, slightly sulking assistant.

"Decipher, you're sure this cave has an exit, right?" I asked, half-expecting the AI to brush off my concern.

⟨Affirmative, Host. Based on initial scans, there are multiple paths. Your task is to determine the safest one. I suggest avoiding any entities that may be present.⟩

"Great, more advice I'll totally ignore," I muttered sarcastically. "But yeah, safety first, I get it."

⟨ಠ_ಠ ⟩

"Now what?" I asked, confused. "Why are you making that face?"

⟨That is not a face, Host. It is a display of disapproval. I suggest you take my advice more seriously if you wish to improve your chances of survival.⟩

"Well, this is awkward," I muttered, feeling an unexpected pang of guilt. "Alright, alright. I'll take your advice more seriously, okay?"

⟨Affirmative, Host. Thank you for your cooperation.⟩

It was almost surreal, having a sentient skill that scolded me like this. But at least it meant Decipher was still engaged, even if a little grumpy. Now, I just had to figure out how to stay alive and prove that I was actually listening.