RE: Reality Smuggler (R-18)

Inside the central dome.

 

A young, impossibly handsome man with violet hair and an amethyst gem attached to his forehead, wearing golden runic armor and holding a spear upright, sat cross-legged in front of an obelisk-shaped plant in silent meditation.

He is Nix, one of the firstborn Expert Ascended of Zeeford's Primary Field.

As one of the few who got Shapeshifting powers, he, along with the others of similar skills, volunteered to become the agents of the Field, AKA, Shapeshifters.

Specifically, he specialized in mind reading, interrogation, and torture. Hence, he received an appropriate and dark job.

He is the head interrogator and torturer, a thankless but vital job in these dark times.

Over four days ago, they received an emergency message from Lord Arnerd, stating that his Field was under siege by Apex Technologie's Recon Team, with the target being two outsiders. One was a mutated male with memory loss, and another was a talented female newborn. Both of them were judged to be Civilians, but the male performed shapeshifting and teleportation powers at the time of the report.

Naturally, the high council refused to help. It wasn't just because they were strangers, but because it would be suicidal to help.

And so they sent a scout to confirm when the Field fell, but the scout returned with shocking information.

The siege was broken in an overwhelming victory. By the time the scout saw what happened, only the wreckage was left by the invading army.

And judging from that Field's ability to defend itself at the time, it was supposed to fall. But it didn't. And with the chances of all the vehicles in Apex Technology suddenly failing to be close to zero, the mutated male was likely the siege-breaker.

This caused the high council to enter a fierce debate. Although the Ascended are generally tight-knit and are happy to have a powerful addition to the community, a mutated Ascended was unheard of until now, especially one with amnesia. If they accept him into their community and he turns out to be mentally unstable, it could spell disaster for their community.

Before they decided on their next course of action, they needed more information, so they sent Nix to investigate, with the instruction to not use torture to avoid antagonizing the other party for no reason.

After traveling to the Field's periphery overnight, Nix first investigated the surroundings. He discovered that there were traces of internal fighting.

"Suspected long-distance Mind Tampering or Electro-Jacking powers." - Nix noted.

He then used the crystal network to locate the two Ascended but only discovered the newborn. And that wasn't all. To his shock, he found that the Spore Spreader was evolving at an insane speed. 

Determined to investigate what was going on, he ran to the center.

Upon arriving at the central dome of the Cle Elum Field, Nix was met with a baffling line-up.

A Large Spore Spreader in the middle of rapid evolution, Lord Arnerd, eating like a maniac and improving at a fast yet steady pace, and a newborn with a peak body wearing human clothes, ready to evolve at any time.

No matter how he looked at it, this looked ODD.

While he was frowning and contemplating, the newborn approached him.

"Sir? Are you here for a visit?" - She asked.

"I am Nix, an investigator sent by the high council of Zeeford's Primary Field. State your name if you have one." - Nix questioned, activating his authority as an Expert.

This authority created a natural coercion over Civilians, making them more susceptible to questioning and orders. However, he almost always never uses it out of respect for his brethren. Only now, when interrogating, did he use it.

"I am Primrose Goodman, Sir." - The newborn, Primrose, answered.

"Did the male name you?" - Nix asked.

"Yes, Sir." - Primrose answered truthfully.

Nix nodded. So far, so good.

"What is his name?" - He asked.

"Iver Goodman, sir." - Primrose answered.

"Close familial bond confirmed." - Nix noted.

"Does he suffer from amnesia?" - He asked.

"Yes, Sir. But his memories are coming back." - Primrose said.

"Hm... That is good news." - Nix nodded.

"Where is Iver?" - He asked.

"He went to the Primary Field a few hours ago." - The newborn answered without blinking an eye.

Nix frowned. Either he missed the male on the way over, this newborn was lied to, or she resisted his coercion and lied to him.

Holding back his doubts, he pointed at the center of the dome, where the Spore Spreader was buried.

"Why is the Spore Spreader evolving dozens of times faster?"

Usually, it would be a happy occasion, but now, it was unnerving, especially when there was no explanation.

Even an idiot could see the problem here, not to mention an Ascended like him.

And, to his question, the newborn surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, didn't speak.

It was because she was akin to a shoplifter caught red-handed.

Any attempt to say anything might reveal more information, so she remained silent. It was the smartest thing to do, especially considering he was the more experienced of the two.

However, that also confirmed his suspicion.

"She knows something." - He thought and looked at the Kin Lord.

"Lord Arnerd. Why is your body becoming stronger?" - He demanded.

The 10ft lord gave a side-glance.

"I will refrain from answering that." - He said dismissively and continued eating.

That caused Nix to frown even more. Even the Lord here refused him.

Since they refused to cooperate, they couldn't blame him.

"... I see. Then I apologize in advance." - He extended his hand toward Primrose.

His arm changed shape, separating into fleshy appendages wrapping around her, lifting her.¹I know what you are thinking, you sick perverts...

She couldn't even dodge, as it was too fast.

"L-Let go!" - Primrose struggled while kicking the air, but to no effect.

"Sir Nix! What are you doing!" - Lord Arnerd roared from the side.

"I am under official investigation from the high council! I have the authority to read her mind. Or, do you dare declare treason on the race?!" - Nix narrowed his violet eyes, shining with mental power.

"... If you harm her, I kill you." - Lord Arnerd glared.

"... Noted." - Nix frowned and brought Primrose closer.

"Stay still and don't resist, or it might hurt." - Nix said while placing his other hand on her head.

Primrose didn't resist, her body limp and looking like she was about to get sentenced to death.

Without any further obstructions, Nix penetrated Primrose's mind.

And then he saw it.

This newborn was young. Very young. Barely two days old.

The newborn herself is unremarkable in any way, a dime a dozen, but her birth circumstances were unique.

The man called Iver created her, likely by accident, and turned her into a so-called Zealot, rewriting her priorities to his service. It was so deep that she would willingly betray her race if he ordered it.

In a way, this child was a bona fide slave from birth. To a fellow Ascended, that was disgusting.

However, that was merely the beginning of his shock.

That man is an alleged divine being, the incarnation of an outer god with a name his brain refuses to recite.

Initially, he came to this reality as a Regular human. But through gathering energy, he evolved himself into a Human Stalker, undid that evolution, and re-evolved into an Ascended, a miraculous feat in the literal sense.

He could also heal a detached arm like it was nothing, leaving nary a scar.

Not only that, but he also extracted energy from crystals to rapidly strengthen and evolve others, claimed he could choose an evolutionary pattern and even synthesize a superior evolutionary path.

He even talked an entire army to death and could travel to other realities.

Even the Spore Spreader wasn't spared, becoming a Dark Idol to gather faith energy and convert believers. This Field was unofficially under his command now.

And those were just the powers he casually revealed.

Now, that divine being returned to his home reality, likely to digest his gains, get a power boost, and return for more.

Reaching that conclusion, Nix felt cold sweat gathering on his body.

"It's too late... We are already finished... Our species, our world, and likely this entire galaxy and universe... Everything will become his sandbox and energy farm..." - Nix shook.

He could already see how it would play out. It was laughably easy.

First, he would create Shapeshifter Zealots en masse, sending them to convert all the Spore Spreaders on the continent into Dark Idols.

Within a few weeks, all the Spore Spreaders would be under his control, and the race enslaved to his will.

In the next two months, he could evolve the Spore Spreaders, increase Kin Field areas to cover the land, build up his forces, and wipe out the Human Survivors.

A clean victory without risks.

He could unify this planet under his command within a year, achieving what they failed to do in a dozen.

Not only that, but he could increase their productivity to a whole new height.

Ten years... No, Five years. Just five. They can become a space-faring race once more. And within another ten, they could achieve feats unimaginable.

Incoming aliens in 25 years? He wasn't sure they could even pose a threat by that time.

And what about a thousand years?

They would probably conquer a large portion of the galaxy.

"Wait... That... Doesn't sound so bad..." - Nix realized.

As long as that divine being won't interfere too much with their lives, he wasn't against being under his rule. Heck, they even stand to benefit.

This was especially true considering the grim circumstances his world was facing.

Those abilities were like an oasis in a desert, promising sweet nectar to a dying man.

"Perhaps... He is our way to survival... And even greatness. Even if we ultimately become his slaves, so be it." - Nix closed his eyes.

Perhaps his decision would doom his whole race to eternal servitude to some unknown god, but the benefits outweighed the losses.

Besides, whether he could stop him was a whole other question, and doing so would likely anger him. Perhaps, in the beginning, he still had a chance to turn the tables, but not anymore. That divine being got too much energy, and the improvement is bound to be significant, beyond his ability to assassinate him. And even if he succeeds, whether he gets killed by Lord Arnerd or not is another question.

And judging from what he saw, that divine being was pro-Ascended, and perhaps the alien races have gods of their own, so it was actually in the best interest of his race to surrender and enter under his protection.

It was better to surrender early to get on his good side and maximize the benefits.

With that decided, he gently put down Primrose, his hand returning to normal.

"I apologize for my behavior, Miss Primrose. Please forgive me." - He said with a courteous bow.

"E-Eh?" - Primrose blinked in confusion.

 

And so, after Nix scanned the minds of several Leaders to confirm any memory-altering methods, he discussed things with Primrose, who comically tried to explain they didn't mean any harm. He would have found it cute if she wasn't a glorified slave.

After making a failed attempt at convincing her to help him evolve, he exchanged the Minion crystals for the vehicles, knowing it would empower that divine being and hasten his plans for world conquest.

When he returned, fully aware of the fate he was dooming his race to, he only told half the truth to the high council, convincing them Iver was not dangerous and a valuable asset. He then convinced them to let him become an ambassador for recruiting him, and they agreed.

When he finally finished the transaction, he was arranged a place close to the central dome where he rested, completely understanding he would gradually fall under that divine being's influence.

In truth, the thought of becoming a brainwashed believer in some unknown god sickened him, especially since it was about to be drilled into his mind, but he decided to pioneer the way. It was for the betterment of his race.

With a sad tear shedding from the corner of his eyes, the weight of condemning himself and his race into religious slavery weighing heavily on his mind, he lay on his bed. He then started murmuring as if to hypnotize himself.

"For my people... For my people... For my people... For my people... For my people... For my people... For my people... For my people..."

After a few thousand times, finally, he managed to sleep.

 

The next day, he woke up feeling strangely refreshed.

He felt that becoming that divine being's believer wasn't so bad.

However, he quickly shook his head, shaking with dread.

"In a single night, I became like this... Even while knowing it all and being disgusted by the idea. Is this the power of a god? Is this what my brethren would experience?" - Nix wondered in fear of the future.

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he resolved himself.

"No... I must stay here. For the future of my race, I must see this through."

With that in mind, he decided to distract himself by training his powers.

Under his control, he changed his arm into multiple shapes, colors, scents, and more, and even added energy infusion into the mix.

Finally, after training to the point he felt sick, something he seldom does, Nix staggered to the central dome.

However, when he entered the dome, he noticed the newborn, Primrose, was praying.

Remembering that prayer increases mental regeneration, he decided to give it a shot and tried to pray but failed.

"How do I do it..." - Nix muttered.

Looking at the praying newborn, he decided to ask her.

"You want to pray, Sir Nix?" - Primrose asked in surprise.

"Yes, sister Primrose. How do I do it?" - Nix asked, unconsciously referring to her by a religious title.

"No one seeks god. God seeks you. You will know how to do it when the time comes." - Primrose responded, her eyes pure.

"Thank you for your guidance, sister..." - Nix lowered his head and bowed.

Deciding it was futile to continue, he started busying himself with training, eating, showering, and silent meditation.

And as time went on, so did his acceptance of that divine being.

However, the most significant change happened the next day.

 

Drr* Rumble*

With the sound of something drilling out of the soil, Nix woke up.

"The Spore Spreader evolved!" - Nix said in excitement and rushed over.

It wasn't just him.

Most of the Kin in the Field, even the Minions, went over to see the newly evolved Spore Spreader and the birth of a new Primary Field.

In the center, a giant obelisk with a massive crystal on top was in place, radiating a majestic and awe-inspiring aura. And Primrose kneeled in front, praying.

Nix knew how it looked already, as he was born and raised in a Primary Field.

However, unlike the one at home, this Spore Spreader made him want to kneel and worship it, just like Primrose.

Just as the thought crossed his mind...

Plop*

Looking to the side, he saw a Soldier kneeling in worship.

And, as if a domino effect happened...

Plop*Plop*Plop*Plop*Plop*Plop*Plop*Plop*Plop*Plop*Plop*Plop*Plop*Plop*

One after another, more and more of the present Kin kneeled or sat cross-legged, taking many postures to worship it.

Even the stupid Minions and the strong Kin Leaders prayed.

"The influence got bigger... I am about to fall..." - Nix knew, closing his eyes in acceptance.

And then it came.

A vision.

He saw it.

A glimpse of a black ball of flames.

A Black Sun in the endless nothingness.

A name was on his lips, but he couldn't pronounce it.

However, he somehow knew what it was.

It was his new god.

Slowly, he sat down, trying to focus on this image, and he started to pray.

Finally, it worked. God sought him.

As he was praying, suddenly, he heard a voice.

"Hail..." - Primrose spoke.

Opening his eyes, he saw her standing up, facing the obelisk, and raising her arms, as if to welcome god.

"Hail the True Sun." - She said in a pious voice, as if in a trance.

When Nix blinked his eyes, the background changed.

All he saw was an infinite cosmos, with Primrose facing a giant black sun, his god.

"He is the bringer of Light, Fire, and Warmth!"

"He is the master of Nuclear Fission and Fusion!"

"He is the patron of Fertility, Wealth, and War!"

"Glory be to the Lord of Evolution and Change!"

"Praise the father of the cycle of Creation and Destruction!"

"Welcome the witnesser of beginning and end!"

"Embrace the purifying light of the master of realities! The bane of Chaos! Our bulwark against the all-consuming evils of the in-between!"

She then turned to him, her eyes vacant, replaced with a light of pure zeal. Her voice echoed with holiness and pure fanaticism.

"Hail the True Sun! Our god and savior!"

"Hail! Hail! Hail!"

And after her speech...

As if infected, all the Kin around Nix began to chant in their monstrous tongue.

It would have sounded like a cacophony of growls and roars to a human, but he knew what they were saying.

"Hail the True Sun... Hail the True Sun... Hail the True Sun... Hail the True Sun... Hail the True Sun... Hail the True Sun..."

And he wasn't any better.

"Hail the True Sun... Hail the True Sun... Hail the True Sun..."

 

 

Sometime later...

"Hm... Hah?" - Primrose suddenly woke up, her head aching.

Looking up, she found a densely-packed crowd of Kin knelt facing her, with Nix in front.

This made no sense to her.

"I remember I was praying, and then... nothing. What happened?" - Primrose asked herself.

While she was in a daze, Nix suddenly spoke.

"Archdruidess, thank you for the sermon. It was magnificent!" - He said with deep worship in his voice.

"..."

"What the hell happened?!" - Primrose cried in her heart.