The guild's mission reports had scarcely been filed when Zeryth Malakar returned to his private quarters. Outside, the city hummed with life—adventurers, merchants, and scholars moving in intricate patterns that could easily be tracked, measured, and influenced. Inside, however, Zeryth's world contracted to a single focus: himself.
Today was different. He wasn't merely cataloging traits or subtly guiding allies. He was about to experiment on the most personal frontier: his own body and soul.
Zeryth had fought countless beasts in simulations and minor missions, cataloging traits of speed, strength, endurance, and agility. Now, he would take the next step:
Physical integration: He selected the wolves from the recent mission as the first trial. Focusing, he disintegrated each wolf's relevant physical attributes—muscle density, bone flexibility, reflex pathways—and integrated them into his own body.
He flexed his fingers experimentally. The sensation was strange but exhilarating. His muscles responded with enhanced contraction speed, his reflexes were sharper, his movements smoother than any human could naturally achieve.
Soul integration: Next, he shifted focus inward. A wolf's soul carried instinct, perception, and subtle combat awareness. Disassembling it mentally, Zeryth reintegrated these qualities into his own soul. The result was an internal harmony: his senses became preternaturally acute, his mind able to anticipate minor actions instinctively.
He tested his newfound perception by closing his eyes. The faint rustle of a mouse across the floor registered instantly. He could detect the flow of energy in the room—the latent presence of magic and life.
Zeryth had long observed the physical limitations of ordinary humans: sleep, rest, and, most importantly, food. If he could remove dependence on sustenance, he would gain an edge invisible to any observer.
He focused on his stomach, digestive system, and internal energy flows. Using his disintegration - reintegration ability:
He disassembled the need for caloric intake.
Reintegrated a self-sustaining system: his body now converted ambient energy, mana, and residual elemental traces into usable nourishment.
A small experiment: he ignored breakfast, observing his body's responses. Hunger pangs were absent. Energy levels remained constant. Heartbeat steady. Muscles and reflexes maintained peak efficiency.
It worked.
Zeryth's body was no longer dependent on food. A silent victory, unnoticed by anyone.
Next came layering monster traits.
Wolves had been integrated. Agility, speed, reflexes, instincts.
Next, he targeted minor elemental beasts encountered in simulations—fire-imprinted salamanders, water serpents, earth burrowers.
One by one, he disintegrated their physical traits and integrated them:
Salamanders' heat resistance and regenerative tissues added resilience and minor healing ability.
Water serpents' flexibility allowed him to bend his body fluidly, dodging attacks in ways impossible for ordinary humans.
Earth burrowers contributed muscular and enhanced skeletal strength, making him far more durable.
Then, he did the same with souls, absorbing instinctual awareness, combat strategies, and elemental attunement. Each integration layered seamlessly, expanding his internal capacity for reaction, intuition, and elemental manipulation.
The result: Zeryth felt more than human, more than a child prodigy. His mind, body, and soul operated as a singular, coherent system.
Zeryth began experimenting deliberately. Could he sustain himself entirely without food for a week? A month? Could he sleep less and recover faster? Could he withstand extreme temperatures without fatigue?
He disintegrated minor cellular limitations: hunger signals, fatigue sensors, sleep cycles.
Reintegrated an internal mana-energy conversion system that sustained organ function.
Within minutes, he felt light, efficient, perfect. Hunger, exhaustion, and weakness—all human vulnerabilities—had been temporarily removed.
Codex Update
Satisfied, Zeryth accessed his Codex to confirm and catalog his growing powers.
==================== ZERYTH MALAKAR – STATUS ====================
Level: 12
Age: 12
Titles: Shadow Schemer, Master of Elements, Soul Integrator
Class: SS
STATISTICS:
- Strength: S++
- Endurance: S++
- Intelligence: SS+
- Mana: ∞
- Dexterity: S++
- Perception: SS+
- Charisma: S
ABILITIES: - Null & Reforge (disintegrate/integrate)
- Elemental Mastery & Fusion (Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Lava, Gravity)
- Monster Trait Integration (Physical & Soul)
- Self-Sustenance (no need to eat)
- Subtle Manipulation
- Observation & Prediction
- Stealth & Awareness
- Regeneration (minor, from integrated beasts)
TITLES & STATUS:
- Guild Recruit: Azure Crescent
- Vice Principal Selena Arkwright's Disciple
- Academy S-Class Student
INTEGRATED TRAITS:
- Wolves: Agility, Reflexes, Instinct
- Salamanders: Heat resistance, Regeneration
- Water Serpents: Flexibility, Fluidity
- Earth Burrowers: Skeletal Strength, Muscle Density =================================================================
The Codex glowed softly, recording every trait, every title, every nuance. Zeryth studied it briefly, noting how far he had come in just twelve years of life, two years of careful preparation, and countless hours of silent integration.
No one would know. No guild member, no fellow student, no teacher, no monster would realize what had occurred. Outwardly, he was a highly skilled prodigy, capable of extraordinary coordination and elemental manipulation.
Inwardly, Zeryth was evolving into something beyond ordinary limits, silently perfecting body and soul, preparing for challenges that even the Academy could not predict.
Every wolf he studied, every minor beast he cataloged, every elemental interaction and skill subtly refined—everything was a step toward absolute control, toward becoming untouchable by ordinary threats.
And yet, Zeryth did not rush. Each integration was calculated, methodical. The Guild, the Academy, the continent itself—everything was a stage. He was not merely surviving. He was preparing.
By nightfall, Zeryth had integrated every available minor beast encountered in simulations, enhanced his elemental powers, and tested self-sustenance successfully.