Parasite Empress

Zara'Yebrel'Rukk'Zol observed the forest drake being escorted to the hive's dormant giant conversion chambers, where it would undergo extensive transformations to align with the hive's needs. She pondered the modifications she had scheduled for the drake, including replacing certain organs to reduce fatigue, enabling it to work tirelessly for the hive's objectives.

Additionally, she reinforced sensitive parts of the drake with chitin to safeguard its vulnerabilities from adversaries. However, these alterations to a giant unit incurred a significant biomass cost, which required replenishment as their reserves dwindled due to warring on multiple fronts.

As the scene unfolded, Zara's thoughts drifted to Adam and his empathy for the drake, along with his reservations about witnessing the impact of her talent on others. The origin of talents upon awakening—whether determined by the Dreamverse's consciousness, inherent to the individual, or influenced by personal actions—remained a mystery, even to those who ascended to the Entity stage, like the Overmind. Zara was inclined towards the latter hypothesis but remained uncertain about the extent of action's role in talent manifestation.

She reviewed her talent's description.

[Talent: Parasite Empress](Rank S) - This talent enables you to create Hive parasite units from the bodies of defeated foes. The parasites can replace the minds of your adversaries, subsequently acquiring their talents and abilities. You can control your parasites mentally, ensuring their loyalty to you and the hive you establish.

Talent Weakness - This talent confers the Barren trait, rendering you incapable of using your racial or class abilities to produce a hive unit.

Zara lingered on the Barren trait, remembering the anguish it had inflicted upon her and the rift it had formed between her and her clutch sisters. A hive queen was expected to spawn new units for the hive, but her condition prevented her from fulfilling this duty.

Initially, she had felt worthless and despondent, until she realized her talent's immense potency far exceeded her sisters' expectations, granting her the power to assimilate her enemies' strengths.

This newfound power galvanized her resolve to demonstrate her value, and she ascended the ranks to become the formidable Hive Empress she was today. Nonetheless, the specter of the Barren trait persisted, a constant reminder of the toll she bore for her extraordinary abilities.

Clearing her thoughts, Zara focused on the mission assigned to her by the Dreamverse.

Mission detail: You have been tasked with taking care of the Dream Child, Adam Emmanuel-Amin. Raise him and ensure that he survives until he reaches his race's age of majority.

Duration remaining: 27 years, 1 month, 6 days, 4 hours, 15 seconds

Reward: ???

Penalty for failure: Total soul death

She recalled the mix of emotions that washed over her when the mission first appeared. On one hand, she felt honored and intrigued, as it was rare for the Dreamverse to assign such a responsibility directly. Yet, on the other hand, she couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. The uncertainty of the reward was unsettling, but the severe penalty for failure sent a chill down her spine. Total soul death – a fate worse than any other, as it meant the complete obliteration of her very essence unable to even reincarnate.

As Zara pondered the possibilities of the reward, she couldn't help but feel that it must be something extraordinary. After all, the Dreamverse would not assign such a daunting task without a fitting compensation. Perhaps it was something that could grant her immense power, or even elevate her to a level beyond her wildest dreams.

She also wondered if the reward could be tied to her deepest desires, such as alleviating the Barren trait or further enhancing her Parasite Empress abilities. She knew that she would have to wait until the mission was complete to discover the truth, but the potential rewards only served to fuel her determination to succeed.

Zara was keenly aware that her guidance of Adam must be diligent and unwavering to ensure his survival.

'Failure is unacceptable.' The thought of her soul perishing or missing out on the tantalizing reward that awaited her upon the mission's completion was unbearable. It was what led to her extreme reaction when Adam first died, when she mercilessly slaughtered every unit in the room, including her late general.

The stakes were undeniably high, yet Zara's resolve remained steadfast. She was determined to overcome any challenges and see the mission through to its conclusion, no matter what it took.

As Zara reflected on these thoughts, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for Adam. She was supposed to be nurturing him, yet she was here, attempting to influence the type of talent he would gain.

She was familiar with other Dream Children, who were often the first among their people to enter the Dreamverse. They symbolized hope and served as champions for their kind. The Zentarran Dream Child, for instance, had carved a brutal path in the Dreamverse, enabling the Zentarrans to dominate an entire arm of their galaxy to this day, spreading to a vast amount of worlds.

Zara firmly believed that a Dream Child's talent should not be squandered on merely becoming a warrior, as Adam wished. Instead, she envisioned him wielding a talent similar to the Overmind's Hive Network, which had enabled the Overmind to bring the hive races of an entire galaxy to heel, converting formidable foes into steadfast allies. This exceptional talent had granted hive races like the Zentarrans a safe haven, a place for recuperation before their sacred war against non-hive races.

Since devising her plan, Zara had tailored every lesson she taught Adam to shape him into a leader rather than a warrior. She had to exercise caution not to disclose her intentions to Adam, as he would undoubtedly be upset to learn she didn't support his dream of becoming a warrior. She didn't want him to be one of those heroes who constantly put their lives on the line for others, frequently meeting their demise in the process.

Keeping her intentions hidden proved challenging, as exposing them might strain her relationship with Adam. It was particularly difficult not to correct his misconceptions about the charisma stat. She didn't know when his disdain for the stat began, but it was crucial for any leader-type class.

In fact, charisma was her highest stat, and it irked her to hear him dismiss it as useless despite its vast potential. That's why she devised a plan to give him his first drone to lead so he could discover the benefits of higher charisma. However, Adam seemed determined to focus on raising his other stats. She noticed improvements in his leadership, but he remained skeptical of what was to become his core stat.

"No, I shall groom him to be a leader. He is a Dream Child with unmatched affinity for the Dreamverse, having entered the realm as a mere newborn. His talent shall be the key to my ascension. I can only hope that my plans for an organization, or perhaps even a kingdom-related talent, shall come to fruition."

When she examined him when he died for the first time and uncovered his immortal talent, she felt a pang of envy. If the Dreamverse hadn't tasked her with protecting Adam, she would have immediately used a parasite on him, ensuring his undying loyalty. However, that option was off the table, so she opted for the next best alternative: adopting Adam and raising him to the best of her ability.

She lamented the fact that she wasn't his only parent and, if possible, she would have orchestrated an accident for his parents, becoming the sole parental figure in Adam's life.

Determined, Zara resolved to continue guiding him, making certain his talent would benefit those around him, particularly herself. She eagerly anticipated the outcome of her efforts: would she succeed or had she created a force comparable to the Overmind? Only upon Adam's awakening would she finally learn the truth.

Zara connected to the hive and swiftly scanned the mind of one of her drones, reviewing its recent actions. She issued a decree, "The time has come. Proceed to this location when the moment is upon us," and imparted the drone with a precise location. The drone acknowledged the command mentally.

---

With the day's excitement behind him, Adam decided it was time to rest and recharge before embarking on a long hunting session. After nourishing his body with a meal, he settled into a comfortable spot and, alongside Lancer, began to meticulously examine his equipment, ensuring everything was in perfect condition.

As Lancer worked, Adam's thoughts turned inward. He scrutinized his status, noting the unassigned attributes available and how his stats had been adjusted.

Strength: 17 > 20

Dexterity: 16 > 19

Constitution: 14 > 17

Endurance: 15 > 18

Attributes available: 0 > 6

With six attribute points to allocate, Adam deliberated over the potential benefits and drawbacks of each option. His thoughts inevitably returned to his recent conversation with Zara, the Hive Empress, who had passionately argued for the importance of charisma as a core stat for leaders. Although initially skeptical, her persuasive words and the display of power she demonstrated planted seeds of doubt in Adam's mind.

'Perhaps I should consider raising my charisma,' he pondered, despite his reservations. 'Zara has been a formidable leader, commanding respect and loyalty from her subjects. Maybe there's more to this attribute than I initially thought.'

The decision weighed heavily on him, and he hesitated, torn between his desire to be a powerful warrior and the allure of unlocking new possibilities through increased charisma. Ultimately, he took a leap of faith and invested one point into charisma.

However, as soon as the point was assigned, Adam was gripped by regret. 'What have I done?' he questioned himself. 'I want to be a warrior, not some leader who commands from the sidelines. I shouldn't have let Zara's words sway me so easily.'

Heavy-hearted, Adam made a silent vow: 'I won't allocate any more points to charisma in the future. I'll stay true to my vision of being a warrior, even if it means neglecting the potential benefits of a higher charisma score.'

With five points remaining, Adam invested one in dexterity, three in constitution, and the last in endurance.

Strength: 20 > 20

Dexterity: 19 > 20

Constitution: 17 > 20

Endurance: 18 > 19

Charisma: 10 > 11

Attributes available: 6 > 0

'Now I have twice the stats of an average human male,' he thought, somewhat satisfied. 'It's just a shame my endurance isn't at 20 like the others, all because I spent that point on charisma.'

With his decisions made and equipment inspected, Adam turned to Lancer, his eyes filled with determination. "Alright, it's time to go hunt," he declared, eager to prove his worth as a warrior.

Together, they ventured into the forest, prepared to confront any challenges that awaited them. As they progressed, Adam couldn't help but wonder if his choices would lead him down the desired path or if he would eventually regret ignoring Zara's advice.

Time would reveal the wisdom of his decisions, but for now, he focused on the hunt and awakening as soon as possible.