Gecko

Darkness everywhere Ragnir veers, not a single light source in sight, and the clanking of chains made him shake. Suddenly like a horror setting the darkness was replaced by red flashing light and there he stood hearing others scream. The clanking was either drills or knives, coughing represents poison, and in between we're cries of madness and hysteria

"Eins!"

"Ow!!!" The red flashing lights pause and the surround sound came silent as the space he resided in met the ceilings light

"What gives? I thought we agreed were gonna a horror flick. I even set this whole thing up. Look I have the popcorn, surround sound speaker. There's even this holographic projection... it's better than the obsolete 3d, I was having a blast till you showed up,"

"Are you serious? We just got back from kidnapping someone. And I see you doing this?" Henry angrily said and pointed to the mountain of treasures he ransacked halfway through their departure

"Old habits die hard, but can you blame me...? It's not like the owner here has any use for these when he's a national threat. God I can't believe how low the country's became when our bro died. Luckily little Ernie is still alive, and he's out for blood– Ow!" Eins received a flick from the back of his head and turns to see Neon and countless homunculus cleaning the room

"You bastard! You didn't even wait for me... are you kidding me? You're already halfway through the movie. I've been trying to keep myself from getting spoiled. Well, that idea made a one-way cruise to the trashbin, I just had to see the final girl die, I can erase my memory so why don't we eat?"

Even though these three were chatting in front of Ragnir he was treated to nothing more than the wind as dined on some takeout. He couldn't speak, squint, or even lightly move his body, his only privilege was his freedom to see in a petrified state. He looks down to see what appears to be a thorn made purely of clumped bones and its purpose was to provide his body with venom

'What the! I'm not even tied? What the hell's with this venom? I can't move an inch my whole body feels so stiff. Neon, who the hell is he? Now that I think about it, that other guy's voice sounds familiar, but where...? Wait a minute, Henry Evans??? How is this possible there's no way the system can be tricked! It was recorded that he died!'

"So about that guy... are we going to kill him?" Ragnir felt such a malicious glare the moment the elusive Eins mentioned his presence

"I've been implying to ask as well, but I never had the chance to say, I was concerned with clearing our traces," Henry mumbled and continues to dine

"Ragnir? I already extracted the memories I wanted. You guys should've been there, he screamed like a little bitch. However, I think I might have been too forceful, chances are he didn't remember since it was too unpleasant,"

"How so?" Henry and Eins said

"Psychological or emotional trauma can result in memory loss. A person's brain may suppress memories as a protective mechanism. I had Vestal the general and leading homunculus of the hivemind faction do a little... probing. Just imagine something that came out of a sci-fi movie about some invading extraterrestrial life forms,"

The two were horrified and never had they thought of imagining when their friend uttered such a thing without a care. "I see..."

"Don't be so mortified over such a trivial matter. I died once, and I know the feeling very well, if I weren't hellbent on finding answers I would've killed myself. Don't look at me like that! I'm not mentally ill, the feeling of death is strangely thrilling, It's warm and cozy,"

The two silently stared before nodding and awkwardly taking a sip of their drink and Neon follows through. "Anyway Ragnirs body is poison resistant, guess they trained him well, but that only applies to my torture poison. The reason why he's paralyzed is due to Vestals doing, okay I might have done something as well. We sped up the probing and well it results in this, his nerves are fried and he's in a vegetated state,"

"Damn, bro you finally let loose, huh?" Eins replied while Henry remains the same yet sympathetic in his doings

"So care to tell the information?" As Henry reminded Neon dozens of homunculus came descending from the ceiling with the hive mind Vestal

"Apologize for the intrusion but my liege told me that I should stop surveilling the moment you two asked. Apart from myself, the other generals remained on the battlefield, for the reason why is to destroy our tracks. Now if you don't have any questions kindly look at me and I'll relay the information," The two reluctantly heeds her request, and once everyone settled down she conveyed her findings

Killing, slavery, and so far as bribing, and abusing the laws to gain the favor of the ever-growing Vermilion circle. Apart from the Andreus family a select few households starving for power openly agreed in joining hands with this terrorist. Prideful they thought the moment they obtain supreme authority and ousted the other races they can easily betray these terrorists. But such thoughts seemingly faded when they exhibit a power that even goes as far as exceeding the limitation of the age of demons

'The moment of absolution is the period when they bend to a power greater than their own rather than rebel. Elitist my ass, even a prejudistic prick would rather die than kneel to a different power, I can't believe fuckers like them still exist. Looks like the Andreus family isn't the only thing on my naughty list, this Krampus's helpers aren't enough,'

"My liege what's your verdict?" Vestal and his two friends were riddled with suspense as the frightened Ragnir grew ever so shaking

'Gecko...'

He spoke not by his mouth but utters so with but a thought in his mind where many of his loyal followers reside. Neon's surrounding changes from an aesthetic mansion to a medieval castle where he reclined on a bloody throne. The evenly arranged soldiers by height, size, and even their biological appearance were shaken by a singularity. It hurriedly rushes with no sense of stopping whereas knocking a certain minion which remains senseless despite being humiliated

"You call for me my liege?" Before him lies a reptile in the form of a man where his scaly mug is hidden in a grey knitted hood

"Good... you finally gained sentience. Now's your time, come out. The next scenario will be your grandiose debut," He opened his eyes and a chunk of his face popped off, and before his own grew in size until it fits his required size of

'Wha– what is that thing???'

"The lord will now cast his verdict," Vestal pulls his chair the moment his master rises, and the hooded monstrosity follow in his stroll till he stops and faces Ragnir

"Ragnir... you're an insufferable piece of shit. Even if you've been given a second chance it'll be no less than shit. You don't have any redeeming qualities, so a redemption arc isn't even an option. What's with that look? You thought im gonna kill you. I was thinking but im running out of time, I can't be at two places at the same time, after brainstorming why not a double?"

[System: You've granted the homunculus 'Gecko' by the newly gained ability of [Lesser homunculus]

Invasion: Uses the lesser homunculus and targets a life form to assimilate and slowly take over its flesh

Outcome: The homunculus 'Gecko' heed the commands of its creator]

The towering lizard pounces before his overly huge physique turned liquid based and spread his existence like a flu. Before their very eyes, they saw Ragnir's body torn limb from limb as the heir of Andreus fused with Gecko. His pale white skin was replaced and shifted to a scaly yet human form and gradually the form undertook Neon's appearance

"Doppelganger... the ever so elusive prick that wreak havoc for a year or two till I came across his existence. That fucker can mimic everything it deems powerful and has its aptitude maxed. Imagine fighting yourself but stronger, faster, and more so quite charming than ever," He laughs, and Gecko mimics right after, these two riddle the room with their laughter until they're questioned by Eins

"So why exactly do you need a double?" Gecko remains still and silent and Neons steps forth and patted his back

"Things became busy... you guys are here, terrorists are running amok, I'd say it's pretty chaotic. I love to help but im needed someplace else, postponing this will be difficult, so I rather not. Gecko has my memories and as the homunculus of doppelganger he'll be fine," He exits the room right after and the system pops up to notify him of the mission that the enigmatic entity he once met

[Special quest: The class [Transcender] is by far the most unique and rewarding out of every record in the class tree. Because of its high reward, you've been given a task if you wish to proceed with attaining such skills originally appointed. If not, then the skills you gained from every 10th level will have their rank decreased by S -> F along with weakening its effect

Mission: Find traces of the origin of the mysterious system that appeared in the moment of pure and utter chaos

Current location: This place is riddled with a yet-to-be-found unknown area whereas many deemed it to be miles of ice and glacier]

'It took me a while longer to return since I surveil the outer region of Everglaze but to no avail have I found a clue. Find the origin of the mysterious system it says the only thing older than the system itself is the Global Rift where even a decade remains. That place before... the area which entices my powerful minions, one way out another, it must be connected, it has to be,'