Resting in the private quarters, Damien observed the scanning device clutched in his fingers. It was an aetheric scanner, the one his senior utilized to check the stability of his body. Although he didn't doubt any of them, he needed to investigate for himself.
He had lived as a human since the beginning of his life, so it was troublesome for him to accept the fact that he was no longer part of humanity. It was also because of his curious nature.
He wanted to see what truly differentiated him from the usual, ordinary humans. Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself. 'I have to accept it. I'm no longer a human.' He couldn't deny it.
After all, several pieces of evidence pointed out that he wasn't one anymore. From his muted emotions, to his peculiar psychic, which seemed mortal yet somehow contained a degree of extreme resistance.
And finally, the strange feeling embedded in his heart.
Since his awakening in the devastated intersection, the world seemed the same, but felt different. At first, he considered it to be no more than his mind playing tricks on him. But it never left his side. It merely lingered.
It kept reminding him that no matter how much he tried to pretend, something was different. It wasn't the black towers looming over the skyline, nor was it the New World. It was... Himself.
Pointing the aetheric scanner towards him, he pulled the trigger and felt it analyzing his body. He borrowed the device from his senior, although he could only keep it for a short time. It was an expensive piece of machinery, after all.
It didn't take long for the aetheric scanner to complete its analysis. Following a beep, the scanning concluded, and Damien observed the results displayed on the screen. His sable-tinted gaze widened as he muttered.
"99% Aetheric Matter..."
Aether was an exotic matter that propagated after Heaven's Fall. It could take any shape or form, meaning that biological creatures could be built from it. This was the origin of the Aberrants, abominations of aether.
He glanced at himself; a broken smile remained. "This body isn't even made from actual flesh. Perhaps, the moment I die, I could probably be refined into something else." A trace of chill seeped into his mind.
No one would want their body desecrated and be forged into some living weapon. "At any rate, whether I'm an actual human or not doesn't change anything. I have to discover what happened."
The resolve that burned within his heart never flickered as he didn't doubt the path he planned to take. Although there were some changes with the introduction of his boss, Miss Alastair, the overall experience remained roughly the same.
He must become stronger and understand the New World.
'Although problematic, there's not much I can do about it.' Beforehand, Damien planned to conceal himself and bide his time to become stronger. After all, he wasn't against playing the waiting game.
However, in his current state of affairs, he was no less different than a beacon amidst the darkness that shrouded his destiny. He needed to adapt. He must adjust to the changing world.
'Metahumans are sensitive to aether, so hiding my identity would be difficult unless I learn how to manipulate my aether. Even then, I doubt I would be able to reduce it to a significant level.'
'Instead of hiding myself, I should alter my strategy and utilize my summoned monsters to do my bidding for me.' From this thought process, Damien considered that it was finally time to begin testing.
He hasn't tested the limits of the Monster Gacha System. Its intricacies were unknown to him, so he wouldn't be able to take advantage of it with incredible proficiency.
"The first thing I need to do is understand the limits of the command seals." According to the system, the command seals could be upgraded through the advancement of his monster's relationship levels.
He wondered what these relationship levels implied and how they could be triggered. Do relationship levels require interaction? Or does he need to do something for his summoned monsters?
Instead of wasting his time pondering about something he could test practically, Damien promptly summoned his first monster with a thought. He called for it within his mind.
Above his comfortable and ivory-dyed bed was a hardened crack of reality. It reminded him of Alastair's abilities, but he understood that they were fundamentally different.
The difference was akin to constructing a wall and shattering it, while his summoned monster could only break the wall to enter his reality.
But moments later, his eyes widened as the fissure was scaled down in comparison to the gargantuan fractures he had seen during his escape and his short confrontation with his boss.
Without giving him time to ponder, a slender hand emerged from the shattered crack and rested over the comfortable bed. The current size was comparable to that of an ordinary human's hand.
'Eclipse... It's small.' He raised his eyebrows, slightly astounded by the change. Though he was far from disappointed. Instead, he was satisfied by her ability to adjust her proportions.
"I expected you to be a bit smaller than before, to adjust to the size of the private quarters. I didn't think you would become so small, I could hold your palm like a normal human." He observed his first monster, intrigued.
As if discerning his words, the slender black hand resting over the bed shifted and gave him a thumbs up. He was a bit dumbfounded, but he nodded in acceptance. "Understanding me should be expected."
"Nonetheless, you are far more intelligent than I imagined." Damien's lips curved into a smile, though it became muted as he inquired. "Are you alright?"
"What had happened was hectic, whether it'd be my escape or my encounter with Miss Alastair." It must have been tiring for his first summoned monsters.
Eclipse gestured an okay symbol with its fingers, declaring that it wasn't bothered or exhausted. Glancing at the easy-going attitude of his first monster, he sighed to himself. It seemed that he had been worried for nothing.
Turning his attention away from the lounging hand, he summoned his second monster. It was Silhouette, a summon that didn't appear to have combat capabilities but was versatile.
In front of him, a hazy figure materialized as it stood idly awaiting his command. It didn't seem as intelligent as Eclipse, though its intellect didn't matter. What Damien wanted to see was its ability.
"A couple of hours have passed. I should have regained a command seal." The system didn't waste a moment as a status screen unveiled in a digital window.
---
| Monster Gacha System |
-| Boss Title : [ Oberon ] |
-| Monster(s) : One-Star EX Monster: Eclipse(Fragment), One-Star TE Monster: Silhouette |
-| Skill Index : Raptured Blink(Eclipse), Psychic Operation(Silhouette) |
-| Command Seal(s): [ 3/5 ] |
---
'Summoning monsters does not lower my command seals, which means that I have to actually command them or they must partake in a deed that is considered active.' He nodded to himself, grasping a part of the system.
What he needed to understand was the separation between active and passive commands. "Alright, let's investigate until morning."