Soul of Searing Steel

Things could not be so easily explained at first.

The elven analyst worked silently at his own work desk, wearing a pair of special over-ear headphones made for elves as he listened to the many echoes of the data vault about the Void—perception and remarkable aural senses were necessary for an analyst, in turn making the tasks most fitting for the elves. Most Mycroft analysts were in fact elves, as their patience trained over their extended lifespan granted them suitable.

The data vault of the Void recon ship Dawn was not actually too full as it had been recalled under emergency circumstances not long after it had begun its journey. The elven analyst estimated that he could accomplish his task in around four to five days, after which he would be rewarded with incentives. In fact, each individual full analysis of a recon ship data vault completed was an incentive for analysts, which was why he enjoyed the task when it had not contained too much data.

"Come to think of it, I now have quite a bit of savings with that incentive. What I should I spend it on…Mum's jewelries are aplenty, or should I buy Jane new clothes? Hmmm…I could get dad a little submarine. He's mentioned frequently these days about wanting to see the otherworld fishes of the deep sea."

Although there were many thoughts about what he would do in the future, the elven analyst silenced his mind at once in the single moment that his task began, so he could focus on his job. Listening to the echoes in the Void requires concentration of every muscle fiber in one's body, a strenuous, skilled task that meant that the salary was in turn considerable. If he was to earn his keep, he would have to seriously carry out his job.

Time passed quickly. In a few hours, the analyst had already deleted most worthless noise wavelengths. Leftover clips that he could not analyze would be verified again several times after this task—the only important thing was to examine its value, and that was because the Void Exploration Department did not mind rewarding more incentives for any valuable information found inside the noise. It was one of the strong motivational forces that kept most analysts working determinedly.

"I'm reaching my limit."

Still, a break period was needed after working for so long. The analyst, who was beginning to feel tired and his focus waning as he listened to the sounds of the Void, muttered to himself inwardly, "After this one, I'm getting a cup of coffee."

The last Void echo was another clip of static with neither tune nor aesthetical value. However, it unexpectedly did not prick the ears, and appear unusually gentle compared to most sharp noises that were distorted and resembled screams due to dimensional turbulences.

"As I've thought, nothing."

Even if the analyst found the gentle static surprisingly special, it did not appear to be of much value since it was not the shockwaves from dimensional turbulences as certain worlds were dragged into some bizarre phenomenon. It did not seem to be echoes of Void Behemoth movements either, but merely normal background noises of the Void.

Forgetting the matter itself entirely, the analyst took a break, pouring himself coffee and snacking on some desserts before continuing his work for the day. Moreover, with working overtime meaning additional salary, he would work until nine at night on his own accord for a total of nine hours for the day before returning to his lodgings in the Zeta Ram Void Base to sleep.

Eventually, in the darkness of nighttime at the lodgings, the analyst who was dreaming on his bed furrowed his brows in his dream, before waking up with a start.

"Just now…my dream…"

He had the feeling of many things seemingly appearing in his mind—silhouettes of unfamiliar creatures that he somehow could not remember at all…it was a weird sensation that left the elven analyst feeling an unusual sense of danger, but he was far too drowsy and simply continued sleeping.

Then, at midnight of the first day, he dreamt of something that was sprouting, albeit without waking up. It was taking root, as if something had eternally changed, and yet that which—or indeed, who—was changed never took notice.

***

It was soon the next morning. The elven analyst arrived punctually at his workplace and greeted a few acquaintances and colleague before returning to his seed to continue his work from the previous day.

However, as he listened to the echoes, he realized that he could instinctively and directly identify the information that the different echoes revealed for some reason.

"That… must be the sounds of a nearby mid-sized world! It is orbiting alongside dozens of small worlds in a planetary system, causing random jumbled echoes that become noises resembling static!"

"And that! That is the presence of a certain small world with rich energy, mingling with the energy from the Great Mana Tide! Heavens, a small, high-energy world… I am earning big bucks with this one!"

"Right, I can understand the meaning even if it's that one: shockwaves lingering from the battle of a Void that was fought centuries ago, and both sides were powerful…"

Surprised and uncertain, the analyst realized that he could approximately determine the ability of both sides involved in the ancient conflict simply by listening. "Both of them had risen beyond limit and reached mature form… huh. What does 'risen beyond limit and reached mature form' even mean?"

Even if he was puzzled as to why his descriptions had become ever so unique, the analyst was unconcerned and summarily categorized it as a 'random mumblings from the shock'. After all, it was most pressing to him to report those special, valuable discoveries to his superiors and claim his incentives after his information would eventually be verified and confirmed.

Though circumstances had became stricter recently and incentives were not awarded at once, his loan quota would have grown considerably. In fact, after saving up for a few years, he may have been able to settle down in the Void installation with a fixed property!

Maintaining that thrilled mood as he worked and until he was about to get off work, the analyst impatiently compiled the information and deliver it to the Exploration Department headquarters.

"It appears that my innate talents, lying dormant over so many years, have been realized."

The elven analyst lay in bliss on his bed, enjoying the delight as if the skies was showering gold while slowly falling asleep—his lips were still curled to form a smile even before his consciousness faded. "Is this what it feels like to be a genius? It is so awesome…"

The second night ended with no dreams. In the obscurity of the dark, something appeared to be spreading, engulfing from the empty mind, affecting physical forms in reality.

***

On the next day and approximately one in the afternoon at Mycroft Standard Time, the elven analyst who had just finished lunch was suddenly taken ill. He had an ache that could have been acid reflux or a mere stomachache, but still proved not to be diarrhea despite going to the toilet for a number of times. There were no other symptoms other than dry heaving either, and given that the data and analysis he submitted yesterday proved valuable, the supervisor of the analysis department went to him in concern, even taking him to Medical for a full body check-up.

"There isn't really any issue… but you have to eat well."

The midget healer leapt off his chair and wrote a prescription for the analyst while hovering in the air with magic. Although his hair was the typical dwarven white as well, the healer who was almost two sizes smaller than a typical dwarf nonchalantly said, "Look—malnutrition, irregular diets over long periods, and coupled with that bizarre feeding culture of elves like you, it's going to be stomach cramps once you don't pay attention." 

"Here, have some military isotonic elixir. Don't take too much, although the nutrients and Slime gel inside would effectively alleviate the pain if you have some when you're taken ill and heal your gastric mucosa. Just remember to adjust your diet if you want full recovery, and have more animal protein."

"Sure, sure…"

Although the analyst wanted to protest with 'I'm eating healthy', his frail body and the terrible pain in his stomach left him without the strength to retort… either way, he could just go to another doctor if the treatment proved ineffective. Hence, after given the all-clear, the analyst returned to work.

Come night, the analyst felt an uncontrollable stomach spasm and the same agony once again, and he quickly drew out the bottle resembling a can that contained the military elixir and poured the luminous gel down his throat. He could feel the nutrients made of Slime gel wiggle in his gullet as if it was alive, entering his stomach and soothing his rebellious organ….just as the doctor had put it, the pain was alleviated, and the analysis put down the nutrient elixir and breathed a sigh of relief.

"What bizarre manner of sickness is this… still, isn't it a little weird that I'm a little too strong now?"

The analyst's brow wrinkled as he glanced at the can in his hand which was bent out of shape. He remembered that even specialized fighters would have required some effort to reduce a military-issue can to such a state, and yet he was able to directly crush it under the direness of the circumstances… it was truly strange.

Despite his mood being uncertain, the analyst turned off the lights and went to bed.

The dreams on the third night were blurred but fantastical. The analyst felt as if he had become a massive beast of unnatural form that roamed the seas and consumed all creatures before it, feeling elation and comfort beyond comparison.

When he woke up and washed up, he jumped in shocked in the split second he glanced at the mirror while brushing his teeth.

"Who the hell is that?!"

Whether it had been an illusion or otherwise, the analyst felt that his facial features appeared to have changed—but after taking a closer look and comparing his reflection to his selfies and family photos in his Spirit Terminal, there appeared to have been no change at all: green hair, blue eyes, a straight nose, and elegant features. One way or another, he was as handsome as he had ever been.

Even so, for some strange reason, the analyst did not feel as if the face which was evidently his own and clearly good-looking belonged to him. Instead, it felt as if it had belonged a stranger.

As he headed for his workplace, the analyst felt as if everyone passing by—even his acquaintances, colleagues and friends—were looking at him funny. However, he realized that they were simply greeting him normally if they happened to catch each others' glances.

In between, the analyst—whose ears now was unusually sharp—heard snippets of his colleagues' whispers.

"Weird. Neuper has never appeared so vibrant before, has he?"

"Yeah. It's as if he's a completely different person now…he used to be quite handsome before, but it still felt normal then…today, something's just different."

"Sigh…it's just so awesome to have elven blood. They are so eye-catching even if they've simply changed their style…does anyone know the progress of Moldavia's research on bloodline improvement? If only us humans can become that aesthetically pleasing as well…"

***

The discussion topic switched swiftly. However, the doubt in the mind of the elven analyst called Neuper mostly subsided with the envy that the others had conveyed.

Either way, it's not as if it's a bad thing, he thought, actually feeling a slight sense of pride for his own race. By the way, I remember that cousin of mine from my mother's side… Constantine something—he was with the Moldavian Bloodline Modification research group, and the Alchemist of the External Exploration Department's Elite Party. I wonder how he has been lately?

The day's work went smoothly as well. Now, the elven analyst could even directly discern the sources behind Void statics, something that left his department's supervisor in great shock upon realization.

"Good man. You should know that not even the specialists amongst the Starherders who lived alongside the Void Behemoths for thousands of years could have done that!

In the supervisor's office, the supervisor, who was an elf as well, clapped his subordinate on his shoulder after watching Neuper solved several advanced tests with the correct solutions right in front of him. "You're talented, and this line of work is a little wasteful for someone like you. How about this, get over to HQ, gain some experience and clear some tests. If you do have the talent that it takes, you might really get to board a Dreadnaught-class Void battleship and become a military listener in our prided expeditionary, leading the way for our forces directly!"

Well, that means I'm earning an achievement as a referrer. Both you and I are getting a raise and it would just be a matter of time!

"I'll definitely do my best!"

Although Neuper could not actually hear the hidden words from the world echoes he listened to, his majorly inflating hopes were not really affected—a military listener and someone analyzing data in the rear were of completely different classes! The former would enjoy benefits of elite Extraordinary individuals and were treated like advanced technicians of Supreme-tier, with barely one found out of a thousand. On the other hand, the latter only enjoyed basic Extraordinary individual distribution, an ordinary skilled worker even if their incentives were a little generous.

With encouragement from his superior and an expectant future, the analyst had another dose of the energy elixir before going to bed with great hopes for the day.

"Oh, right, the elixir's almost finished."

He remembered and was unsettled in the moment right before his dreams overcame him. "The doctor did say just a little would be enough, but I have a can every time…isn't that a little too abnormal?"

With that thought, he soon entered his dreamworld.

The fourth night proved to be strange and mystical as well. Without really any cause behind it, the analyst saw his entire life in his dream: from his birth to his adulthood, from his toddler years until reaching maturity. There was thrill in his heart when he looked upon the skies as a child, when he saw the message from his first love as an adolescent, as well as the resolve he would uphold for all eternity when he swore to stand tall after becoming an adult… everything that was at once frivolous or important converged to become a star.

Instinctively, the analyst knew that it was the entirely life of the individual named Neuper, which was also his very essence. It was those memories and details that truly made him himself, and losing all that meant that he would become another person, even if his physical body remained the same.

Starlight flickered, illuminating the dreamworld of gloom and exuding a calmness in the analyst's mind.

And then, in the instant that the dream was about to end, pure white threads began to appear, engulfing the star.

Thus, it became a massive cocoon.

***

"This is weird. Where on earth is Neuper?"

"No idea… could he have taken leave?"

"He was only called out by the chief yesterday, and slacking away today already… that shouldn't be it, though? He's not that kind of elf."

"Maybe he is really sick—you know it, he's been to the doctor's only a few days ago. Might be a side effect of awakening his innate gifts?"

"Who knows."

That had been the discussion amongst Neuper's colleagues during working hours the next day. After all, it was only taking one day's leave of absence—it was not that major an issue since anyone would have had moments of inconvenience. Being workers in the same unit for years, they worked together without much rivalry or personal difference, and certainly without exceedingly malicious speculation.

***

Meanwhile, in Neuper's room in the lodging area of the Zeta Ram Void installation, there was no longer a green-haired blue-eyed elf on the analyst's bed, but a cocoon composed of countless thread with a smooth, delicate surface.

It was vibrating, but not with something struggling from within—it was a natural movement which in turn released a curious soundwave. That sound itself was so soft and gentle, just like the static that emanated gently amidst the Void without any aspect which stood out, nor was it a sign. Still, if one listened carefully to the emotion within, one would have realized that it was a mild cry, a call…or even a joyous praise.

There was this weird question.

Could sound change objects?

Certainly. Soundwaves were vibrations conducted by certain mediums—they were excessively strong and would shatter glass walls or harm the human form. Minute waves would also discreetly prompt annoyances, causing discomfort in sensitive creatures.

So, could sound contain information?

Certainly. Human speech transmitted information through different wavelengths. In fact, the information that sounds transmitted were unexpectedly rich, although the sounds that humans could make, hear, and utilize were rather rare. That is why human imagined sounds to be an inferior language, when in reality, soundwaves at most simply lacked versality, and using other ripples would have improved.

No, no. The real question was: could ripples be used as a medium? Even if those who heard it cannot understand it, could it act like a portrait, conveying information that all life could understand without explanation?

The answer was absolutely.

Special soundwaves could fundamentally change everything. Ripples that contained supernatural forces could instill the information it carried upon contact with human bodies, molding fitting conditions on the physical level and directly injecting knowledge prepared beforehand.

Ordinary lifeforms were helpless against those special waves—just like shattered glass, disturbed eardrums and discreetly altered emotions, the echoes slowly eroded, altered, turning one into a form completely different from before.

It could even achieve the wondrous feat of having the old creature die and a new creature born.

***

On sixth day, before dawn, Neuper the elven analyst awakened from his corpse.

He serenely looked down at his former shriveled bag of skin and the cocoon silk that was naturally detaching from his body, smiling enigmatically.

There was this philosophical question.

If parts on a ship were gradually replaced to the point that every original and old portion were swapped for new ones, would the ship have still been the same ship?

It would not have mattered for objects without will. But what would have happened to the self-awareness of an individual who was a sentient, intelligent creature?"

If the young form of a superior being was born into a mundane intelligent life, absorbing all its hosts' memories, will, and soul to mark it upon its own body memory as if it was its own, carefully storing a backup.

Then, using it as a basis, the creature would have fully simulated and replicated the host's thinking…but that would not have been the complete truth, because it had only been a few days ago that the young superior being had pervaded its host's brain through his nervous system, thinking as he did and replacing every single cell of its host. Even so, the host was still 'thinking', and the young superior being did not interfere since it was merely a part of its host.

Then, it would have become him, and vice versa. Replicating memories and restoring records, assessing, testing, improving and refinement—such was the goal of the Ultimate.

Having gone through ultimate growth, the entity would have possessed everything that existed, including and not limited to bloodlines, memories, hobbies, personalities and thinking. It was the same elf to a certain extent, because memories were one's true form, and the young superior being was simply part of the host after having assimilated.

But was it genuine?

"I have died, but gained new life."

The former elf elegantly dressed up, feeling an insatiable hunger spasming in his stomach. However, where it had felt discomfort and agony before, it was now a delightful impulse—it reveled in that sensation, before raising its hand and clenched his fist, where powerful supernatural energies surged within his flesh.

Ultimate Entity Neuper smiled leisurely, baring his teeth. "Death of the new."

"I love this feeling."

***

On the 8th of April, Starfall year 848, a mature Ultimate Entity appeared upon the Zeta Ram Void Installation, escaping after causing the deaths of 370,000 people including the emissaries from dozens of civilizations staying in Zeta Ram. The Third Expeditionary Detachment was also ambushed with half of its forces fallen, while the multiversal Stargate in the Zeta Ram had to be closed for the time being, as the Mycroft homeworld and all its colonies were placed under state of military emergency.

All of the cosmos were left in shock.