Chapter 39: Black Heart
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[#/System Notification/#]
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[Flesh Assimilation (SSS) Activated.]
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[Target Acquired.]
└ ■ Biological material generated during the host’s evolution.
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Beginning complete assimilation...
[...]
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All compatible biological material is being absorbed.
Assimilation will be used to support the host’s evolution and the complete reconstruction of the body.
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[Assimilation In Progress.]
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Two massive currents swirled right into his palms, getting absorbed at an absurdly fast rate.
The sea level was dropping rapidly as Ethan felt a soothing warmth fill his body to the brim.
But even for him, such speed was simply unbelievable. While he did possess an SSS-rank skill, his body was too weak to handle the skill’s full force.
To not destroy his own body, he could only use a part of its true might.
Ethan could assimilate such an immense amount of biological material in a short time because it belonged to him in the first place.
The reason was simple.
’Evolution’ was an essential part of the path of the monsters. It allowed them to break through new realms of strength by mutating their bodies.
The path of humans was different. Evolution didn’t exist for them in the same way.
Rather than mutating, the evolution reconstructed their bodies with suitable energies, enhancing their stats, limits, and skills to match their potential.
But Ethan’s path was different. He was a monster and human at the same time.
Thus, while his monster body mutated in reality, his human soul and consciousness could break through new limits like a human.
During this process, an apt amount of suitable energy would gather, becoming nourishment for the evolution.
’The amount of energy gathered heavily relies on one’s own potential. Given my SSS rank, it’s slightly unbelievable. But even Eris had no idea about the details...’ He thought, absorbing the last bit of the sea.
Outside, the situation had strangely worsened. Despite absorbing a huge amount of biological material, Ethan’s evolution had not progressed at all.
However, his body had started rotting rapidly. Several chunks of his flesh were missing, revealing his bones as deep green fumes rose from his wounds.
Choosing a third path wasn’t just beneficial. It also came with its own risks.
Ethan had no idea about the path he had chosen. But the path of monsters was rigid and, often, unforgiving.
Without a proper route, his monster body could not evolve. But his human self had already absorbed an astronomical amount of biological matter.
This created a stark contrast, halting the entire process while it continuously tried to reach an unknown next stage. In the process, his body had begun rotting at an incredible pace, giving off a horrendous stench.
His body kept trying to mutate, fail, and then leak the absorbed matter through his regenerating wounds.
*Ding!*
After some point, a familiar sound reached and echoed in his room. A new light emerged inside the musky green cloud, stretching into a screen.
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[#/System Notification/#]
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[Abnormal Reaction Detected.]
SSS-Rank Class: Zombie Overlord has █▒▓@#%&▒█...
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[Class Synergy Detected.]
The following class skills have entered a state of complete resonance:
└ ■ Zombie Sovereignty (SSS)
└ ■ Flesh Assimilation (SSS)
└ ■ Undead Command (SSS)
└ ■ Infinite Evolution (SSS)
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A unique evolutionary path has been presented to the Overlord System.
Analyzing...
[...]
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[Analysis Complete.]
Suitable.
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[A desired path for the host has been found.]
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Immediately, time seemed to have stopped its flow.
Ethan’s convulsing body stopped moving, while the smoke that was gradually rising from his body froze in its place.
Then, a small movement occurred. Instead of flowing out, the smoke slowly retraced its way back into his wounds.
*Fwishh!*
An eerie sound echoed through his room, pulling all the smoke back towards his body.
Rather than directly entering him again, the smoke spun around his body. Small wind currents formed from the strong movements, pulling him off the ground.
Before one could know, his entire body had been enveloped by a thick spherical smoke, floating midair as it continued to thicken.
On the third floor, Zombie Blood Ants, Eris, and Jake stood completely frozen. For the past few minutes, their bodies refused to move as if they’d turned into sturdy stones.
All this time, Eris and the blood ants didn’t dare resist this pressure even once. As Ethan’s subordinates, they wouldn’t mind even if he asked them to sacrifice themselves for his evolution.
Jake, on the other hand, was fighting the pressure relentlessly.
"Fuck! How long will this even continue?!" He cursed out loud, using every bit of his strength to stand up.
However, his efforts proved to be in vain as he felt his lightning weakening the more he resisted.
’No, I have to stop. I can’t weaken myself any further...’ He clenched his fists in humiliation before stopping his resistance.
At once, an invisible force assaulted his body, pinning him down to the ground. Immediately, Jake coughed a mouthful of blood.
But just as fast as it descended, it soon dissipated from his body, allowing him to rest briefly.
Eris, who was watching this unfold, secretly felt content.
"Serves you right, insolent. It was ignorant of you to think you could resist his might." She snickered inwardly, her eyes squinting into a grin.
The suppression was slowly dissipating. Everyone inside the colony could feel it gradually dissipating.
Unbeknownst to them, a new reaction had occurred on the seventh floor.
The deep green smog had nearly disappeared and condensed around Ethan’s body.
Essentially, it acted like a cocoon, letting Ethan evolve in an ideal state.
*Ding!*
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[#/System Notification/#]
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[Body Reconstruction Initiated.]
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Using assimilated biological material...
[...]
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All damaged tissues are being reconstructed.
└ ■ Skeletal Structure
└ ■ Muscular Tissue
└ ■ Internal Organs
└ ■ Blood Vessels
└ ■ Nervous System
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[Abnormal Reaction Detected.]
Due to the overwhelming energy flowing through the host’s monstrous body...
...the assimilated biological matter has begun to mutate.
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[Mutation Complete.]
Biological matter has transformed into Miasma.
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[Miasma Analysis.]
A dark, highly condensed form of energy.
Commonly associated with death, decay, and corrupted life.
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[Resonance Detected.]
The presence of Miasma has deeply resonated with the host’s class.
└ ■ SSS-Rank Class: Zombie Overlord
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[Body Reconstruction Continues.]
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Inside his mind, Ethan silently floated in the gradually darkening space.
He had already absorbed all the biological matter, but still, he couldn’t leave this place.
"I can’t feel my body..." He muttered beneath his breath, staring at his hands—opening and closing.
It wasn’t wrong to say that he was confused.
Since the beginning, nothing had been going normally.
He had refused to follow the predetermined paths and was urged to create a new one. Because of this, any advice or information he had been able to obtain from Eris had become unusable.
Even in this realm, it felt too soothing.
Almost... Inviting...
A few times, it had almost succeeded in pulling Ethan towards its darkness. Almost as if he had lost his mind, Ethan widened his eyes, staring into the dark void intently.
"I... want..." His voice came out wavering, almost as if a part of him was resisting.
His body trembled profusely as he raised his hand and slowly floated towards the void.
He wished to grasp it in his hands, as if it were some prized possession.
But every time, at the last second, he’d be able to pull himself back together. Gasping out loud, he’d hold his hands before floating away.
To him, it almost felt like a test. But he had no way to prove this assumption.
"How long will this go on?"
"Will I even be able to escape?"
"Hehe..."
The more he stared around, the more he felt his mind breaking.
But at this moment, he felt a strange hollowness in his heart. Almost as if, for a moment, he had forgotten his emotions.
Instinctively, he touched his chest in confusion, only to realize that a hole had appeared in his heart.
His gaze darted down, only to see a strange black liquid swirling inside the hole.
Ethan didn’t panic. For some reason, even this felt normal to him.
He simply watched as the black liquid condensed into a sphere. Expanded and shaped itself into a human heart—completely black.
Then...
Ba-thump
The heart beat once as a sharp pain pierced through his mind. Ethan quickly closed his eyes, and surprisingly, the pain had disappeared instantly.
He opened his eyes by a slit, only to find himself sitting inside his room.
In front of his eyes, a system screen shimmered in a bright cerulean glow.
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[#/System Notification/#]
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[Evolution Complete.]
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Congratulations.
The host has successfully completed their first evolution.
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[Milestone Achieved.]
You have become the first being of this generation to pave a path that has never existed before.
As the founder of this path...
...the Overlord System praises your unwavering conviction.
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[Recognition Granted.]
The system has formally acknowledged the host as the Progenitor of this path.
From this moment onward...
...this path shall belong solely to you.
Its future shall be decided by your will.
Its laws shall be shaped by your choices.
Those who walk this path in the future shall do so beneath your authority.
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[Authority Bestowed.]
A new, unique authority has been granted.
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