Jin-woo began to delve deeper into its code for a better understanding of what it was doing. It attached itself like a leech to the Rat Lord's power core. The very basis of the power stone had been contained and ‘motivated’ to create space for additional foreign code.
Including the type of power stone.
He saw an opportunity and took it. He wanted to test where the mutation would let him alter. Both spots of mana consumption and stability were still reachable. Then he got brave. Power, speed, quickness of activation, strength of force, and more. It allowed him nearly free reign to add efficiency to every part he could touch. While he still wasn’t allowed to touch the original code, the mutation was almost free game.
Demina showed herself at that moment, making his work better.
```
mutation_array {
primary_channel =
corrupted[72% degradation]
secondary_channel
= fire_affinity[forced integration]
tertiary_channel =
strength_remnants[failing]
WARNING: Multiple
attribute conflicts detected
} Attribute conflict resolved
```
She supposedly fixed a conflict he had not known existed. Again, showing how invaluable she was to him. For all he knew, it would have blown Graq up into pieces had the conflict existed.
He kept developing everything he could touch. Fingers became sore at some point, but he refused to stop. This was now more than just curiosity. It was ambition and professional addiction that fueled him. There would be no pause until he was forced to stop.
And stop he did. It came abruptly in the middle of a set of codes to make the area of effect larger, by point zero three percent. The entire code disappeared from the screen startling Jin-woo. Then reappeared to look exactly like the Earth Power Stone had.
Gone were the red lines and flashing changes. Everything was frozen in its spot.
Jin-woo tried to change something small but found it impossible. He sagged. It was over. He felt his body slump from exhaustion. Raising his hands felt difficult, but he still tried to see what he could change if anything at all. But found it was only the mana consumption and stability that could be affected anymore. It had solidified into a non-mutated power stone. No more potential for greatness.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
[POWER STONE EVOLUTION COMPLETE]
[CLASSIFICATION: E+ Ranked - Fire Corruption]
[SPECIFIC EFFECTS: Undefined]
[CAUTION: Configuration Beyond Standard Parameters]
It was over. The system had announced it to him loudly. Killing any imaginary hope he tried to hold on to.
Jin-woo looked around. The sun was setting. Graq was sitting, legs crossed, with a fruit pit and biscuit wrapper with one left in it next to him. He stared directly at Jin-woo.
“Done?”
Jin-woo sat back. His legs hurt.
“You’ve been frozen for four days,” Graq said. He held the last biscuit up. “Hungry?”
Jin-woo laid down. Everything hurt for some reason. He needed sleep. Mental rest to ease the throbbing migraine he had now. It threatened to split his head in half.
“I thought so,” Graq got up and walked into Jin-woo’s vision. “What the hell was that? I couldn’t get your attention. I was… worried.”
“Graq,” Jin-woo’s voice was harsh. “What’s your opinion on fire?”
Graq tilted his head. Nose and whiskers twitching. “Fire? Would it help how bad you smell?”
Jin-woo chuckled. Then smelled himself and gagged. He needed a long session of deep cleaning. It reminded him of life on earth. The amount of things they took for granted. At any moment, he could order whatever he felt like eating or drinking. Showered in hot water with high quality soap available. And a plethora of other conveniences he never noticed until he no longer had them.
“I need a shower. Hot water. Soap. Loofah—”
“What’s a loofah—"
“And a cup of hot coffee,” Jin-woo gulped. He could almost taste the bitter nectar. “Especially the coffee.”
Jin-woo forced himself to sit up. He scooted back until he was reclining on the hard walls of their safe room. He patted the area next to him. Graq grabbed the power stones and rare earth crystals, understanding what was about to happen. There was much to discuss, and that started with the mutated Rat Lord’s power stone.
“There’s nothing left except integrating them, Graq,” Jin-woo said. “But…”
Graq nodded. “There is a risk for me.”
“Yes. The Rat Lord had been corrupted. Mutated by both experiments and the dungeon. His core had been equally mutated.” Jin-woo didn’t know how he was going to explain the whole thing. He decided on being vague and not directly answering questions he felt uncomfortable with.
Graq grit his teeth. Eye closing. “Fire, huh. Of course it’s a fire type mutation.”
Jin-woo was surprised at the reaction. Why would he–
“Power risked is power gained,” Graq opened his eyes. They were wet. “Fire haunts me. It is only poetic I control it. Thank you, Jin-woo.”
He grabbed the (E+) ranked power stone and a rare earth crystal. Then got up, moving to the other side of the safe room into a nook he made for himself. Personal space. Graq settled in and closed his eyes, meditating over the power stone and earth crystal.
Jin-woo watched as Graq tipped over asleep. The crystals and stone turned into red motes of light entering him. They were changing something fundamental. Deep within the body of Graq and his system. There was no proof that the denizens of the world had access to the system like him, and he wasn’t about to find out either. Last thing he needed was to be burned on a stake. Accused of heresy or being a warlock.
It was his turn.
[DO YOU WISH TO INTEGRATE: Earth (F+) Ranked Power Stone]
[Yes]
[No]
He selected yes.
[POWER STONE INTEGRATION INITIATED]
[CALCULATING COMPATIBILITY...]
[WARNING: Unprecedented Configurations Detected]
[PROCEED WITH...]
The notification stream continued. Detailing every change that occurred within Jin-woo and his system. But he was not aware of any of it. Consciousness faded away from him the moment he toggled ‘yes’. Slumping over into blissful sleep.
Brown motes of light rose from the two objects in front of him. Entering his body and permanently changing him.
[INTEGRATION IN PROGRESS...]
[ESTIMATED COMPLETION: Unknown]
[MONITORING VITAL SIGNS...]
[TRANSFORMATION PROTOCOLS ENGAGED]
