Hi3rd: Achievement Hunter

Cocoon of Finality.

It was an elusive existence that started out as the origin of honkai. The "game'' Aleph made it out as such. Several hints were dropped throughout the story chapters until the first part ended.

There wasn't a clear answer for its origins, only some theories told during the said story.

"I hath seen its attempts to alter thy fate, for it to suffer failure. A momentary misjudgement is capable of faltering its knees."

Albion's thick accent was reminiscent of that of old English. Perhaps it was its attempts to 'integrate' the things it had seen through Aleph's eyes and memories, but a 'normal accent' came out of its mouth several times.

Aleph chose not to point it out as it would be awkward, more so to a dragon that was 4.6 billion years old.

"Thou hath overlooked it. The colorful soul of thee, as well as the power of an entire world in thy grasp."

"Colorful soul… and an entire world..?" Aleph felt confused in Albion's words. "But why..?"

Through the fusion of Sephira Crystal Fragments, Aleph saw the silhouette of his soul.

It was akin to other souls he had seen—a fuzzy humanoid figure consisting of silver color.

As if seeing through his confusion,Albion's huge head nodded.

"Can one see time? Hath it always been untouchable? The sight atop a mountain's zenith is as such."

Typically, people could only see clouds on the ground. But, when they climb on a mountain, they would be able to see all sorts of weather phenomena. What's more, it was a far more exhilarating sight compared to being on the ground.

Albion's words were simple—

There are things one could only see from a certain level.

Unfortunately, Aleph wasn't there yet.

"For the world that lies in your grasp, the key to its growth lies in what I hath told before. To fight. Only in that way shall the power of its embryo be unsheathed."

'Embryo..?!'

Aleph looked at his unassuming [Embryonic Power System]. Not once had he underestimated it.

Just his [Ratio], [Star Rage], and his yet-to-be-explored [Adaptation] was given by it.

Yet, it seemed like he had still underestimated its true capabilities.

"It is too slow. There are things only achievable with thy hands. Do not hesitate, inheritor."

Albion's words sent Aleph to a huge realization. He opened one of the previous prompts from before, presumably one that came from the [Embryonic Power System].

[Available Conversion: Cursed Energy, Honkai Energy, Dark Energy, Evolutionary Energy (New)]

Aleph hadn't tested this function yet. Cursed Energy was the tamest of them all. Honkai Energy carried risks such as reining in the energy's nature. As for the Dark Energy, Aleph attributed it to his contact with the [Dark Reactor]. The Evolutionary Civilization's study mentioned how Dark Energy was one of the fundamental energies used in their time to transcend to a new height.

Finally…

'Evolutionary Energy.'

It was a brand new entry that came from his contact with the evolution cube's black particles. They were the ones who induced Aleph's current evolution.

'Since the integration was too slow…'

[Conversion Detected.]

[3.]

[2.]

[1.]

Zap-!

The cursed energy residing throughout his entire body was replaced with pure black particles. The offensive from outside his body induced Albion to further integrate its remains into the Emperor-class ICHOR. It belonged to Aleph, yet at the same time, it did not.

There was a reason why most MANTISes carried the risk of cascading—turning into mindless honkai beasts once uncontrolled. It was for such a reason that the Active Honkai Reaction was usually used as a do-or-die method.

Hum-!

It wasn't only the outside that induced the integration. Inside Aleph's body, his genetic data began to be altered at its lowest level.

"Keuk..!"

Despite being inside a mental dreamscape, Aleph momentarily grasped for air. He clutched his chest, carefully sensing the long-lost pain from his battles.

The clear blue sky began to be eaten up by the black particles at a much faster rate.

Albion looked satisfied upon seeing it. At times, all it takes was a single push to place someone in the right path.

"May the next time we meet…"

A voice filled with wisdom and majesty resounded in Aleph's ears.

"...the moment of thy transcendence."

******

Five days had passed since Aleph's use of the Evolution Cube. Mei went back to the fourth institute with regrets.

Not once had she nor Mobius worried for Aleph's wellbeing. The vital sensors placed on him was one thing; their trust was another.

Beep-!

Beep-!

Beep-!

The loud alarming sounds of the detection instruments did not bother Mobius. After all, they weren't the ones for the surge of honkai energy, but for other kinds of energy.

Her research direction wasn't limited to honkai. Only, honkai energy was the one that offered the greatest results. Most of her resources were poured onto it as a result.

Nevertheless, there were still other apparatuses for other kinds of energy.

Hum.

Hum.

Buzz-!

Mobius' ears heard a cacophony of scratching sounds. The area beyond the glass window—one covered with pure black particles—seemed blurry. Her eyes narrowed down as she interpreted the phenomena.

"Curvature of space…"

That 'something' scratched off against the space, forming visual distortions inside the airtight room.

She looked at the numbers and saw that it surpassed the energy generated by a clean nuclear bomb.

"...Tsk. For once…"

Mobius did something completely against her beliefs.

Beep-!

"Eh? Why are you calling, Mobius?"

Vill-V's energetic voice came from the other side. Explosions were set off in its background, letting Mobius know that the girl was up to no good again.

It was always like this. Ever since the day she redeemed her from that island, Mobius' annoyance towards Vill-V slowly reached its peak.

The only time she actively called her was when Aleph asked for a favor once.

"Help me with something. Hack the satellites and remove all records from a minute ago."

"Ah? Ah! So that's what it was!" She replied with a hint of realization. "I was wondering where that alarm came from! So it was from your place? Did a nuclear bomb explode?"

"...No."

"Aw… Alright, just a second…"

Three minutes had passed since the start of the alarms. It showed no signs of calming down. Numerous alarms already resounded throughout the entire fifth institute.

Rumble-!

The impact of what Aleph did was extremely visible to the point a strong earthquake was formed with the fifth as the epicenter. Fortunately, the institute itself was built to withstand earthquakes beyond magnitude twelve.

Ring-!

Mobius saw many names appear on her communication lines. Like bees to a flower, she knew they called her to demand for an explanation.

'I will handle it later. How should I use this..?'

Mobius' thoughts headed to the person who caused it all. She still hasn't retaliated from Aleph's kiss last time.

She unknowingly licked her lips as she thought of it.

"It's done! I am not sure about the people from other institutes, though…"

Just as Vill-V ensured the completion of the data erasure, Mobius saw 'white cracks' appearing on the pure black particles.

Like a broken cocoon, pieces of it began to fall down. In the instant they met the ground, they turned into nothingness.

Soon, a floating figure was revealed. His arms hugged his knees in a fetal position. His clothes were torn to pieces. Black scales neatly stacked atop his skin. It crept all the way to his shoulders. His hands were turned into claws.

The black scales covered his entire neck. The remaining portion of his skin was filled with purplish-black veins. These veins crawled up to his face.

Two crystal-like diamond-shaped horns emerged from his forehead. A thin long black tail circled around him agilely.

The most noticeable thing was the pair of huge wings on his back. It took the shape of an uneven diamond, with its ends being sharp. It was extremely similar to Albion's true form.

In a split-second, the loud alarms stopped buzzing.

Mobius' gaze never left Aleph. Thus, she saw it—

The pair of golden pupils that stared directly into her.