The fireflies did not disappear completely.
For a few seconds longer, tiny green sparks continued moving beneath Audrey's skin, as if a constellation had been trapped inside her body.
Soren watched them travel along her arm… climb up her neck… and slowly fade away.
The air in the clearing became strange.
Silent.
Too silent.
"Audrey…" Soren said cautiously. "Is that normal?"
Audrey took a moment before answering.
"I'm not entirely sure." Her eyes shone with clear excitement. "There are still thousands of things I have yet to discover about singularities."
She fell silent for a moment, studying her own hands.
"Not all evolutions are the same… and that's the interesting part. Don't you think?"
Soren looked at her while processing her words.
The two suns in the sky were slowly descending, giving way to the magical darkness of the forest. As the sky dimmed, the campfire shone brighter.
The Blade-Spine Rat meat was ready.
Soren summoned the Hot Potato Nest.
They sat together, shared a container of water, and ate in silence while watching the flames.
The campfire crackled softly.
Audrey finished eating first and leaned back near the fallen log, her eyes half-closed. Sira's evolution still seemed to be draining part of her energy.
Soren, however, could not relax.
In front of him, on the ground illuminated by the fire, he placed the loot they had obtained so far.
He hadn't had a chance to inspect the singularities yet, and although his hands still ached from the last battle, he knew it was urgent to grow stronger.
He opened the leather bag.
One by one, he began taking them out.
First came the two Blade-Spine Rat singularities, both Level 1.
They were small spheres with a gradient color shifting between deep red and orange.
Inside them, a tiny galaxy slowly rotated. Within its spirals floated countless microscopic metallic spikes, like thorns suspended inside their own miniature universe.
Audrey had mentioned that this singularity had a dual use.
Soren studied them for a few seconds before setting them aside.
Then he placed another sphere before him.
It was a Level 1 Green Light singularity.
Its surface had a soft fluorescent green tone. Inside, a small galaxy rotated slowly, surrounded by a faint glow that seemed to move gently.
Sometimes subtle waves passed through it, as if something within the energy were slowly shifting shape.
It was a strange singularity.
From what he knew, it could take the shape of whatever the user imagined.
He placed it beside the others.
Next, he set down the white Level 2 singularity he had traded with Audrey.
It was brighter than the previous ones. Its white glow was clean and constant, and the galaxy within it rotated bathed in that pure light.
There was something particular about it.
Something in its shine made it feel closer to a Level 3 singularity than one of its own rank.
Then came the singularity from the translucent spider, also Level 2.
It was a luminous translucent purple sphere.
Inside, the galaxy rotated slowly while tiny green points emerged from its center, appearing and disappearing like small sparks of life.
Audrey had said that singularity was interesting.
Soren still didn't know exactly why.
Then he picked up the next one.
The Level 3 lightning-element singularity.
The moment he held it, small electrical discharges ran through the inner galaxy like lightning trapped inside a miniature universe. The energy crackled silently within the sphere, illuminating its spirals with bluish flashes.
It was like holding a storm compressed in the palm of his hand.
The air around it seemed to vibrate faintly.
Even without activating it, its power felt dense and dangerous.
It was a true treasure.
And finally…
The last singularity.
The Level 3 reptilian-eye singularity.
The moment Soren touched it, he felt a faint shiver run through his fingers.
The galaxy seemed hidden within the depths of a vertical pupil, dark and profound. The entire universe contained inside the sphere appeared to rotate within that eye.
It was unsettling.
When he placed it in front of him on the ground, the eye slowly blinked.
Then the pupil contracted.
And it began to look around.
First toward the campfire.
Then toward the forest.
Then directly at Soren.
As if something inside the singularity were conscious.
He stared at the small treasure before him.
After a few seconds of silence, he set three singularities aside.
One because he knew he had to assimilate it.
The other two… because he wanted to understand them better before making a decision.
Finally, he picked up a sphere.
The Green Light singularity.
Audrey had said that was its name.
He lifted it carefully. His hands were still torn from the last battle, and even holding the sphere sent a sharp pain through his fingers.
Even so, he didn't let go.
He stared at it intently.
This time with the clear intention of consuming it.
Then—
A cold, mechanical voice echoed inside his mind.
Singularity — Level 1
Type: Strange Tool
Name: Green Light
Assimilation Requirement: None.
This singularity has already been previously assimilated by another user.
The assimilation price has already been paid.
Blessing: None
Curse: None
Secret: None
Description:
The light of this singularity can take any form the user desires, as long as the created form does not exceed two pieces.
The creation will adopt the exact shape, weight, and size of the imagined object.
Additionally, the object will be coated with a reinforced layer of energy, granting it greater durability.
Soren closed his fingers slightly and focused his mind.
He thought of something he only remembered from his previous life.
A modern spoon.
Exactly like the ones he used in his first job.
An instant later, a luminous green liquid emerged from his palm, as if energy were melting into the air.
The substance stretched, compressed, and hardened.
And then—
It became a spoon.
Soren observed it with curiosity.
It was solid. It had weight. It even faintly reflected the firelight.
"Incredible…"
He focused again.
The spoon softened and returned to that bright green liquid, twisting as if it were alive.
This time he imagined something different.
A rope with a small metal hook at the end.
The liquid stretched rapidly, solidifying into a sturdy rope, and at one end a curved, sharp hook appeared.
Soren tugged at it.
It was firm.
Much stronger than he expected.
His eyes lit up with interest.
He focused once more.
The rope dissolved again into liquid light.
This time he thought of something simpler.
A small axe.
The liquid compressed, forming a short handle, and at its end appeared a sharp, aerodynamic blade.
The weapon dropped with weight into his hand.
Soren held it for a few seconds, feeling its balance.
Then he smiled slightly.
If he thought creatively…
That singularity could be far more useful than it appeared.
Already excited and now comfortable with the system and the assimilation process, he picked up the Level 3 lightning singularity.
He focused all his attention on it with the intention of consuming it immediately.
The cold mechanical voice sounded again inside his head.
Singularity — Level 3
Type: Aura
Name: Lightning Surge
Assimilation Requirement:
Receive a lightning strike directly to the body and survive.
Blessing: None
Curse:
Synaptic Fatigue. After deactivation, the nervous system suffers a temporary collapse. Muscles will experience uncontrollable spasms, and the senses—especially hearing and touch—will become weakened.
Secret: None
Description:
Upon activation, an aura of lightning surrounds the user. It triples movement speed, empowers strikes with electrical damage, and sharpens reflexes to the point where time appears to move slower around them.
Assimilate?
A lightning strike.
Soren frowned as he reread the requirement.
Receive a lightning strike directly to the body and survive.
"What…?" he murmured.
That was insane.
In his current state, if lightning struck him directly, he would die instantly. He was certain not even his bones would remain; the bolt would reduce him to ashes along with the little clothing he wore.
No.
Right now he couldn't assimilate that singularity.
His gaze shifted toward the other sphere.
The reptilian-eye singularity.
Just looking at it gave him an uncomfortable feeling.
If a Level 3 singularity demanded something as absurd as surviving a lightning strike… he didn't even want to imagine what kind of price that one would require.
Soren took a deep breath.
Then he placed the lightning singularity back on the ground.
Very carefully—almost cautiously—he picked up the reptilian-eye singularity.
He held it in front of him.
And then—
The cold mechanical voice echoed once again inside his mind.