Ascenders: Rising From Zero

The Urge to Survive

Everywhere around was dark, the ominous feeling that comes with death. Bayo felt himself floating away as if being sucked up by a vacuum tube. 

The more he floated off, the more densely the suction became and more thicker the darkness grew.

He felt... Nothing, no feeling whatsoever except that he had to survive.

He had given his all. But clearly, this world had being harsh to him from the start. Disappointed, he let himself float further away, totally resigned to whatever fate awaiting him.

'You have attained max growth point to evolve to Young Adult  of Iron Spike Tail Dog. Beginning evolution process.' Yasmin's voice cut in, a glimmer of hope in the dreary darkness.

Suddenly, light exploded in the darkness, setting the shadows in hiding. A gravitational pull descended on him, slamming him down with tremendous force.

GRRROOAAR... Bayo growled, his voice audibly rippling through the forest now. 

Words floated to his mind, showing him what his status had become.

—

Iron Spike Tailed Dog

Soul Status: Ground Class

Growth Stage: Young Adult(2/3)

Growth progress: 2/100

Energy: 17/17

—-

Bloodline stored-

-Glow Spike Rat: Possesses a sense of detection through Glowing spikes on its back.

(Bloodlines can be mixed, merged or deleted in the achievement of a greater evolution)

—

'Wow! That so much improvement from last time.

According to what Yasmin said, soul growth was one of the surest way of gaining great power. So far, he had been able to advance to Ground Class, a breakthrough on his first battle.

But again, he had no affinity for laws so how did he advance. Weren't Laws the determining factor about ascension?

Whatever!

This world was mysterious enough for him to start bothering himself about whatnot. 

If he had advanced, then cool. He'd make do with it.

Growth stage however had turned to 2 out of 3. To Bayo, this meant he had leveled up again and so his growth point had begun once more to count.

But if it was that easy to level up, then his time here was going to be a walkover. 

Yippeee...

'Very Explanatory'

What wasn't that explanatory was how his energy was at 17, max when he was not yet a full grown adult. Or did Yasmin make a mistake earlier?

'Yasmin, how come I have attained max energy now?'

Yasmin was silent for a while. It seemed this A.I of sorts was collecting its thoughts.

'That shouldn't be possible, by my calculations. The average energy for a Young Adult is 12. 

I'm attributing this growth bonus to your Unique Soul. It seems you have a soul built for breaking limits.'

Yeah Baby. Told ya. Bayo winked mentally as he flexed his limbs muscles, his feet pattering in a tip tap dance around the rock.

'Get a grip of yourself now, Bayo. Having a unique soul alone won't help you unless you have a game plan.' Bayo cautioned himself.

Now that achieving full growth was just in sight, he had better start looking about for his next form.

Yasmin has said earlier that to achieve real power, he needed a form with Law Affinity. To be very honest, he wasn't really after power. All that had happened since he arrived this world was escaping one mouth or the other.

Like damn!

 I just want to live this new life. To survive, is that too much?

He was going to do that, surely. But first things first, the hunt.

The Fire breathing Salamander was the most viable option on his evolution table so far. And he had to eat it in order to obtain the bloodline. 

'But then, how am I ever going to even recognize a Salamander, talk less of recognizing a Fire Breathing Salamander? Yasmin, any help?' Bayo asked his ever trusty A.I. 

'I am capable of analyzing nearby life forms  so as soon as I find one, I will alert you. However, to increase my proximity, you must be in movement, touring the forest.' Yasmin replied.

Touring the forest? Damn.

Why could he just have to hide somewhere and then Yasmin goes, oh Hi, there's your target.

Phew!

'Shut Up Bayo. Think like a gamer okay. This is all VR. You snooze you lose.'

Okay!

If this was a game, what would you do when the game system tells you to tour?

'First, I will explore my chances of survival and all elements available.'

Good, Bayo.

'Status, Yasmin.'

As usual, the words floated into his mind on a mental sort of screen. Hastily reading through, there wasn't much of an improvement except that his growth progress had gone up by 10 points making it 12/100.

Wait.

'Bloodline Stored. 

Bloodlines can be mixed, merged or deleted in the achievement of a greater evolution.' Bayo read out, a sinister wide toothed grin appearing on his face.

Wow.

Cool Bayo, cool. Ask Yasmin First before drawing conclusions.

'Yasmin, what does this mean? Bloodline stored?'

'Bloodline stored is the list of available genetic material that constitute a creature you have been able to interact with. As at now, The Glow Spike Rat, being your first kill is the only bloodline I was able to absorb.'

Absorb? 

'I thought you said to absorb is to take over the life form of a creature. How come you absorbed the rat and I am not a rat yet?'

'Absorption of life force and bloodlines are two different things. In absorption of life force, one needs to have an innate understanding of a law where as absorbing bloodline requires mere contact with body fluids to absorb genetic material.'

Mere contact, eh!

'That means I don't have to eat those things before I can absorb the bloodline?'

'Correct! And in the event of multiple bloodlines, one can merge or remove abilities on the evolution table to create an even greater form.'

That pretty much explains that. Now, over to the next thing. If he needed to hunt Fire Breathing Salamander, he needed to be in a position where he himself would not get hurt.

Going stealth seemed best and only the Glow Spike Rat ability could help him out in that.

To be able to sense other beasts motion before they get into range will keep him one step away from being hunted unawares.

'Yasmin, is it possible, seeing that I am not yet a fully grown dog now,to add the motion sensing ability of the glow spike Rat to my current form?'

'Well...' Yasmin paused considerably. 'You do not have sufficient bloodline genetics of the Glow Spike Rat to activate its ability.

To obtain the sufficient amount, you would need to absorb three more similar bloodline.'

Oh, Dang!

So this meant he had to go out in hunting a Glow Spike Rat now?

Wouldn't that be time consuming seeing that I need to have the bloodline of fire guy to have a better form?

'You know what, Yasmin. Ditch that idea. You can detect life forms right? So to some extent, you should be able to detect nearby life forms, even those from behind me? Can you do that?'

'You underestimate me. While being a Soul Genie to you, you should not forget that I am originally a Soul Remnant of His Worship.'

'That means I am covered then.' Bayo smiled, resulting into a funny image of a dog baring it's fangs to the world.

'I wouldn't suppose so. I am rather bogged with several processes that are of crucial importance to you in regards of soul growth monitoring, environment mapping, world engineering as well as running possible scans for...'

'Okay! Stop! In Summary, you are too occupied so I have to do this by myself.' Bayo interrupted.

'That is Correct. The Glow Spike Rat is your best option now.'

'Thank you. You've been so unhelpful.' Bayo grumbled, wagging his Iron Spiked Tail.

'How do I find the rats now.'

'The Glow Spiked Rats are solitary creatures. They live in mounds of earth, hidden within lush vegetations or forest plains.

Ah. I have been able to pick on a nearby Rat, just 10 meters to your left.

For better chance of hunt, make your attack sudden in a way that as soon as they detect you, you attack.'

Yasmin put in, encouraging Bayo onward.

This is it. Putting his head close to the ground as he had seen Dogs do in Earth when searching for something, he inhaled.

GAHH!

The heavy scent of newly sprung grass and loose particles of soil and dust flooded his nose instantly.

'Phew! This is going to need some getting used to.' 

Resuming his sniffing job, he made it over to the spot Yasmin had pointed him to. After walking eight meters, he saw the faint glow of blue behind a mound of earth, hidden by grasses.

Observing carefully, Bayo put his head to the ground, sniffing aimlessly with intent of fooling the Rat. 

Doing so, Bayo circles the mound , closing up one meter already. The rat however was not staying still. It shook its wiggly tail at Bayo before inching into the mound.

Suddenly, feral instincts took over and Bayo growled, his limbs transversing the air as he pounced on the Rat's abdomen.

From within his guts, he felt a tug and movement behind him.

GBAM! 

His tail crashed heavily on the Rat, the iron spike completely flattering its head into Rat paste.

Growling, Bayo lunged in, closing his jaws around the Rat.

'Bloodline Detected. Absorbing bloodline. 

2 absorption's left for ability activation.' Yasmin voice rippled through the air, clearing the feral mode from Bayo.

ARH... GAHHH.

He jumped up, surprised to find his snout on yet another rat. 

'That is so not happening.'