As Noah walked along the hallway after having just left Morgiana’s room, a voice immediately resounded inside his head,

— Did you hear it?

Of course, I did.

His expression showed no signs of change as he discussed inwardly with the Queen. Noah may have started to put some faith in both Dorothy and Morgiana, but it would be foolish of him to show them all of his cards. No matter how much trust they shared. Not to mention the fact that he didn’t even know how the parasites were treated in the first place. He wouldn’t willingly jump into a pit of fire, that was for sure.

Dorothy was showing clear goodwill toward him and as shitty as it sounded, Noah would be stupid to not take somewhat advantage of her goodwill as he was now— weak and ignorant. He could tell her the truth if and when he was sure she wouldn’t attack him or imprison him for housing a Parasite.

After all, Dorothy was clearly not some naive woman with only kindness and joy in her heart.

As for what Morgiana was doing,

It didn’t matter. In fact, I rather welcome such behavior. This Alibaba is clearly someone Morgiana holds in high esteem and if doing something like this will lead them to have more trust in me then it is all the better.

From the very moment he had entered the room, Noah was able to discern that the holographic TV was an oddity inside the room. And he was also able to hear faint, nigh imperceptible, noises coming from the projection. When he left the room, he was also able to hear the conversation that immediately started inside, albeit with a rather muffled voice.

He could have waited and tried to hear more but he had no need to do such a thing. That and for all he knew the whole hallway was covered in tracking cameras, observing his every movement. It would be stupid of him to leave a bad impression on them.

— So what is the plan now?

Noah had to fight the urge to shrug his shoulders and simply started whistling to himself as he conversed in his mind.

We do nothing. The long-term plan at the moment is pretty simple. Go to Oz, get more knowledge following Morgiana and her team. lowly get stronger. Then visit Geppetto I will reveal my spatial storage skills soon. After all, it’s necessary in order to explain where I will get the Mecha I plan to sell.

The spatial storage ability that he had acquired was quite extraordinary in his opinion but not as much as literally stopping time. He simply needed to make sure that this wasn’t some Parasite-exclusive skill then it would be all good.

After selling the collected Mecha and making more money, he would buy a Mecha for himself and use the core he took from Omid as the base of that Mecha. At least for the cover-up of the original Ouroboros core that was inside him.

The core was undoubtedly precious but Dorothy for sure would know that he had gotten something from the gate. It was better to show Omid’s core to her and avoid further suspicions.

There was also the fact that Noah couldn’t really tell the Mecha builder that his entire body was something akin to a core or a small Mecha now. This would only create endless problems for him. He just knew it.

I will show the core and the lowest level of the blueprint for the Mecha construction. Hell, if Dorothy proves to be a true ally, I can even sell those blueprints to her… who knows?

This universe was foreign and full of powerful entities that Noah knew he could not even dream of facing at the moment. But Oz seemed like it could become a steadfast ally if he played his cards right. And… what better way to solidify their relationship than to strengthen his allies? At least, Noah didn’t know any other way he could use with his current circumstances.

— Do you plan to seduce that woman?

Dorothy? Perhaps. She does seem to be interested in me but it would be hard to do anything in my current situation.

He grimaced when he looked at his pitifully small body and stopped in front of the door of his room. It was quite pitiful how he could barely process interest in a woman at the moment because of how young his body was. This was really pissing him off.

One of the things Noah had put off on his list was to satiate his hunger and it was not just the hunger from his stomach he was talking about. Forced celibacy for so long had been… Well, it had been quite enlightening if he had to be honest.

Even the greatest priest or monk would bow in front of me. He thought jokingly as he finally entered the bedroom that was assigned to him.

The room was pretty similar to the one belonging to Morgiana in structure and content. He did not know if this was a standard room but he was more inclined to believe that this was something similar to the VIP rooms they had on Earth, all things considered.

Ignoring the TV, he walked towards the shower as if he was hypnotized. This was no weird shower with unknown symbols like the one he used on Omid’s ship. Undoubtedly, this shower alone was a marvel of science. Noah could not even phantom what kind of mind was able to come up with a fully functional shower room in a spaceship, but he did not give a shit.

All he cared for at this moment was one thing— taking a long and very, very hot shower.

The bathroom was quite stylish but Noah simply took off his clothes and walked speedily until he found himself right under the shower and finally, he turned the knob…

“Ah…”

A low moan escaped his childish mouth when he felt the first few drops of hot water touching his skin and flowing on his body.

He nearly shed a tear at the heavenly sensation that was filling his body. This felt nearly as good as what he felt when he half-filled his stomach with all the food available to him not long ago.

This was it. This was everything he had been imagining and more. This was— the taste of civilization and it tasted fucking sweet… And hot as well… slightly boiling he might even add.

Then, looking at the bathtub that looked big enough for him to drown himself, Noah grinned from ear to ear.

So many things happened, so many problems kept appearing, and he felt like he was constantly being suffocated by all the pressure.

But right here… right now… there was no Noah, no 1Thirteenth constellation nor one of the greatest Mecha pilots.

There was only an old man who wished to relax in a hot bath mixed with scented rose or whatever the equivalent was in this place.Not even the end of the world would stop him from taking this bath.

***

After his heavenly shower, followed by a soul-soothing bath, the only thing that Noah lacked right now was a massage to loosen up his sore and tired muscles that were as stiff as a rock due to all the tension and fatigue. However, he could take care of this matter later, there were more important things to do.

Jumping on the fluffy bed, Noah could not help but think about how tired he was at the moment. How tired the accumulation of time known and unknown had made his body and soul. It felt like all that fatigue that he had accumulated was crashing down on him all at once, threatening to swallow both his body and mind and even his existence.

The softness of the bed certainly did not help him cut through this feeling. The feeling of safety that permeated this whole room made it even more difficult for him to resist the mind-numbing sleep that was beckoning him every moment of his existence.

“We did it. We finally left.”

Once again, the reality of his situation hit him like a bulldozer.

He had survived. He had succeeded and… he had finally left that god-forsaken place. And this time around… he hadn’t gone crazy and went into a hallucination so real that he felt it was the unquestionable reality… Or did he?

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

I am not going crazy this time, right?

— You are not. This is as real as it could be, Noah.

Ha… haha… hahahahahhahaha.

Noah inwardly laughed, his laughter was resounding, powerful, and carefree, before rolling in the sheet and hugging the pillow that was almost bigger than his whole body.

Many times he had fallen into despair, thinking that he would end up in a ditch on some part of the unknown planet, lost in the cosmos with no one to bury him. Or that he would live out his loneliness for all eternity, never to die, never to live, only to suffer.

Both possibilities had been more than a little frightening for the poor man and had caused him no end of nightmares and panic attacks. But he had powered through everything and was finally at his current destination. He was now… free.

— Though it’s a shame the planet was destroyed. There were many interesting resources we could have used on that planet.

Yeah. If I could have mined the gold I would have certainly become super rich and things would have been far easier for us. But it’s not much of a problem. We still have another way. What we need now is to become stronger. Far stronger than we are now.

— Are you sure this is the right solution?

I don’t know whether this is the right solution or not. It’s certainly not the only solution and we could take things slowly as they come but— We are moving on an unknown deadline. Anything may happen at any moment.

This was the crux of all his worries. Whatever he had seen when talking with Venus had been something extremely foul and wrong, an abomination of existence. Something that defied his understanding of reality. If something similar was present in each white gate then who knew when one would be unleashed out into the world? It would only lead to one thing— annihilation of existence.

Furthermore, the Shadow Queen’s challenge would certainly not be easy. Many talented people with powerful backgrounds and the resources of colossal civilizations behind them would swarm for the opportunity.He only had himself. He was his own backer. He was his only supporter. He… was all alone. The date for the challenge was unknown and for all he knew, it could start at this very moment.

He hated this sickening feeling of uncertainty. It would be a constant tension that would never leave him as he knew he needed to be ready when shit hit the fan.

— Be honest. This isn’t the only reason. We all know that.

I…

Noah wished to argue but he stopped himself from speaking further. Arguing with someone who was basically one with him was nothing but stupidity and a waste of time.

I want to become the strongest again.

Noah hated being weak. It was a hate that was bone deep, ingrained into his very existence. Weakness brought doubts and uncertainty. When you were strong enough, you could disregard anything. Dangers would be a laughing stock, uncertainty would only be an opportunity to propel you further. Everything would be at the tip of your hands.

Strength certainly wasn’t the omnipotent answer but it was the answer to the vast majority of questions and problems.

However, this went beyond all that. Noah simply liked being strong. One could call it vanity or arrogance but he loved that empowering feeling and he wished to obtain it once more. To be at the very top of the food chain— the apex predator.

This was why—

Status

『 Status —

Designation: Perpetual Core Ouroboros

Type: Unique/Growth

Growth Stage: Egg

Level: 10/10 』

[Evolution is deemed possible. Do you wish to proceed to the next stage?]

[Y/N?]

Noah grinned when he saw the blue screen appear in front of his eyes again. He had been wondering if this was some function only available in that strange virtual dimension he entered for the trials but at least now he had an answer to that puzzle.

— I still think it’s dangerous. Clearly, this core was created with growth and transformation in mind but I do not think this was supposed to be used directly on humans.

Perhaps…

— Then…

But I am not really a human anymore now, am I? Haven’t been one for a long time, in fact. Almost too long.

Hiding behind the veil of ignorance any more than this would be utterly foolish of him and even if he could somehow argue that he had once been human despite being able to walk naked in freezing cold or regenerate limbs nearly instantly, having his entire body destroyed and reformed was the nail in the coffin.

Noah was not a human anymore. This was a reality that was hard to accept but it was also a reality that would give him the advantage he so direly needed.

So. What is your choice? Are you with me or not?

— This is a dangerous bet.

I know.

— We might die for real this time or become something so disgusting that we could not even pass as Human.

Appearance is overrated anyway.

— I know I have already told you this many times but. You are a lunatic.

Noah laughed out loud. It was funny how the Parasite was the one who called him a lunatic and perhaps he was. Crazy, reckless, or even stupid, but this was what Noah was. This was how he operated. Not even the years he spent on the now-destroyed planet could change this part of him.

We are trying to become the strongest in the entire universe, you know? We can’t reach this kind of level with logic or reason, much less by being prudent. It’s time to bet. We are going all out, baby.

Noah giggled as he had the impression he could literally see the inanimate Parasite Queen rolling her eyes at him while he acted like a raving mad bastard.

— Before you go all crazy, let me tell you something. I have made my decision.

“Oh?” Noah tilted his head before he understood what she was talking about.

“About– Ahem.”

About your name you mean? I am surprised you decided on one.

As Noah was about to speak out loud due to the surprise he felt, he caught himself in time and swallowed back his words. After all, he did not know if he was being surveilled at the moment.

Still, this slip-up was understandable.

A name represented many things but more than anything, it represented an identity and an individuality. Both things were abhorred and loathed by the parasites as they considered the unity of the one above everything.

— You are not the only one who was changed over the years we have spent together. During all those years I was able to observe you and grow alongside you and ‘I’ realized that individuality was the greatest source of evolution and development.

Indeed. I guess spending time with a superior being like me could only be enlightening.

— More than anything, I realized that you were not the only one who was covering their eyes to not look at the truth. In the same way that you are not truly a human anymore, I too am not truly a Parasite anymore.

– I am me. I have goals, ambitions and dreams. I can feel fear and regrets, joy and happiness, sadness and despair. I am one. I am Eve.

Eve, huh? A beautiful name. Then how about making Queen your last name? Eve Queen. Sounds pretty good don’t you think?

— I believe you have a horrible taste in names.

Hey!

— But I will accept it. Eve Queen, huh? Thus shall be my name from now on.

Beautiful.

He could feel her tasting the name in his mind. Even though she acted as if she hated it to her core there was no doubt that the name Queen meant much for her. After all, this was the last thread and link to her identity as a Parasite. This was for the same reason Noah would never discard his name.

Then, Eve, it’s time for us to have a new beginning.

[Evolution is deemed possible. Do you wish to proceed to the next stage?]

[Y/N?]

He looked at the prompt and this time there was no hesitation as he pressed Yes.

The change began instantly and Noah grunted as he felt a surge of energy scourge through his entire body.

[Evolution beginning]

[Error! Organic matters detected]

[... Analyzing …]

[Aether pathways compatible]

[Resilience passable]

[Malleability outstanding]

[Conclusion: Evolution possible]

[Risk of failure: 45%]

[Do you still wish to proceed?]

[Y/N?]

This was it. This was the last chance for him. A chance to take a step back and truly ponder if he was ready to take this step. But his mind had long since been made.

This was why, even as the pain reached near debilitating level, Noah acted without hesitation,

“All or Nothing.”

The last thing Noah saw as he sunk in a bout of unconsciousness was,

[Forced hibernation to increase the chances of success]

[... Full update of the system …]

[May you have sweet dreams]