Chapter 13: A Deadly Siren Song

Argh…Argh!!

A groan escaped Aiden's lips, a guttural "Again..." following close behind. He cracked open his eyes, his father's story of the Divine Tears still swirling in his head.

The past felt heavy, his parents' voices a constant reminder of what he'd lost.

The doctor had labeled it a disease, a trick of the mind that brought back false memories. But…

It wasn't a disease, it was his lifeline. Even if they were just dreams, they were a way to be with his family again.

His stomach growled loudly. He hasn't eaten anything since eating the Long Striped creature.

How much time had passed since he'd hunted the Three-tailed Monkey?

He swiped open the screen, checking the date.

[King Version, Day 2/30]

The 2nd day hadn't even passed yet.

Aiden noticed notification flashing on the screen, messages that must have appeared while he slept.

[Congratulations, Jimmy Verma for being the 401st Person to break past level 10 in the 24th Assimilation of the Universe and 1st human from the 108th Planet to achieve this feat.]

[Awarded Pseudo Inheritance of Sword Hunter and one rare Breathing Technique.]

Shock jolted Aiden. One of the nine chosen for the King Version Program had already broken past level 10? What did that mean? It was only the second day, and someone was already ahead by a huge margin. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of times, likely surpassing him.

But what was more shocking was that Jimmy was the 401th person to cross level 10.

Aiden's mind raced, piecing together a truth he hadn't fully grasped before. If Earth was the 108th contender, then there were at least 107 other planets, or contenders in some form, involved in this whole "Assimilation" thing . Did that mean there were roughly 1,000 beings in this entire realm selected for King Version? And that was only assuming Earth was the last contender. What if there were more...?

The realization struck him: there had to be others like Humans in this strange world.

The prospect of extraterrestrial life no longer surprised him. This entire trial was far more bizarre and unbelievable than anything else.

—-

Aiden forced his racing thoughts to settle. He needed a plan, a way to get stronger quickly. There were already 400 beings who had somehow reached level 10. To get there himself, he probably needed to defeat at least 30 weak monsters, though the exact number remained unclear.

Aiden hadn't any grand ambitions, not like someone with perfect sight. A blind person just dreams of seeing the world like everyone else and living a normal life.

Aiden's only goal was to be strong enough to protect his sister when she arrived in this strange world. He remembered how she, too, could see the strange screen. It confirmed she must have also been chosen for this trial. The memory of her reaction when he told her about being selected for the King Version played in his mind – a mix of longing and fear for him being alone. That meant she must have been chosen for one of the other two trials. All he wanted was to be strong enough to protect her by the time they met again.

With renewed determination, Aiden picked up the broken tail, a grim reminder of the Three-tailed Monkey.

He brushed aside the leaves concealing the burrow's entrance and squeezed out.

A breathtaking scene unfolded before him. The area around the giant tree thrummed with an otherworldly light. Three enormous flowers blazed with crackling electricity, their color an impossible, dazzling grayish-white that his eyes couldn't quite process. The brightness, however, filled the air with a tangible energy.

Aiden spotted the picked-clean bones of a rodent-like creature on the ground, completely devoured by the majestic tree. He tilted his head back, his gaze drawn to the two moons hanging serenely in the night sky.

Growl! Growl!!

Hunger gnawed at his stomach, but venturing out in the dark felt risky.

Although even in the darkness, his ability to perceive the world's basic structure allowed him to navigate easily. Night and day held no difference for him. Yet, He'd heard many times on Earth that only the most powerful predators roamed freely at night.

Suddenly, a lumbering beast with long, wickedly sharp tusks emerged from the trees and marched towards the tree, completely oblivious to the danger lurking ahead. It resembled a wild boar from Earth, but larger and with deadlier tusks. Before Aiden could react, a blur of light streaked through the air, followed by a flash of light. A grass-like vine shot out with incredible speed from one of the flowers, severing the boar's neck in a single, swift strike.

Aiden recognized the familiar vine. He glanced back and saw it connected to the center of one of the glowing flowers.

The same method used to kill the rodent was now employed on this unfortunate beast. The vines rapidly wrapped around the boar, constricting it tightly. Within seconds, the creature shrunk visibly, hoisted up by the vines that retracted back into the flower.

The entire scene played out in a matter of seconds, and Aiden watched, mesmerized and slightly horrified, unable to tear his eyes away.

The speed and efficiency of the flower's attack were unlike anything he'd ever seen.

An idea sparkled in his mind. If he could somehow understand and use the tail like the flower did, it could be a powerful weapon.

His stomach growled loudly, reminding him of his hunger. The sight of the boar being slowly absorbed by the flower only intensified his craving for anything edible. But a new detail caught his attention. He could sense a faint, sweet smell emanating from the flowers. Unlike the beasts he had heard about on the Earth, the creatures here seemed to possess a high survival instinct.

The only explanation for the boar's suicidal charge was the strange aroma the flowers emitted. They were a lure, attracting unsuspecting prey.

He activated his ability, "Devil's Truth of Misery" ability, a skill that allowed him to sense emotions

A wave of faint emotions washed over him – fear, confusion, and a hunger emanating from the nearby creatures. Now he understood why the area surrounding the Majestic Tree was relatively devoid of life. The sweet scent drew creatures around it at night, only to be devoured by the mystic flowers.

…...