Jonathan past POV
I recall a time when I was a scientist in a past life on an alternate Earth, a world where technology and civilization had far outpaced my current earth. This alternate Earth, on the Kardashev Scale, would be classified as a type 1 civilization. Despite remarkable progress, the ability to mitigate natural disasters, and efficient harnessing of the planet's energy, Earth's resources remained insufficient for its burgeoning population.
The nations inhabiting this planet were perpetually divided by differing ideologies and racial disparities. Even in more democratic nations, I couldn't comprehend why people trusted the soothing lies of politicians more than hard facts.
A staggering 99% of the world's wealth was concentrated in the hands of a mere 0.5% of the population. The majority middle-class citizen had become mindless sheep, addicted to immediate gratification and virtual stimulation. They had lost touch with their roots, reveling in mass-produced products from corporations. While the ultra-rich lived lives of luxury, the impoverished masses toiled as minimum-wage laborers, even in virtual realms where they remained bound to these corporate overlords.
The planet was firmly in the grasp of monopolistic corporations and trillionaires and gazillionaires. As a philosopher once said, 'We are born equal in this world.' But had he witnessed the stark reality of that moment, he might have succumbed to despair, for the world had evolved into a utopia for only a privileged few, while the majority endured a dystopian existence.
In a world that was far from perfect or peaceful, I held firm to my belief in the 'law of the jungle' and the concept of 'survival of the fittest.' I reasoned that if the strong survived, it would ultimately benefit the human species.
The fate of humanity still rested in human hands. With continuous innovation, progress, resource conservation, and an end to wars, reaching a type two civilization remained a possibility. We all shared the belief that within a century, humans would harness the energy of a star and journey to other solar systems.
However, everything changed when we discovered a way to harness dark matter from our universe. It possessed limitless potential and nearly infinite energy. With global cooperation, it had the potential to catapult us to a type 2 civilization in just a decade or two. The long-awaited era of peace, prosperity, and equality was no longer a distant dream. Every person on Earth could potentially enjoy abundant energy and sustainability. With this newfound power, humans could explore the vast cosmos, expand our species, or even relocate Earth to another solar system.
Yet, world leaders and global organizations were reluctant to relinquish their authority and unite under a single banner. As time passed, it became clear that nearly every country and corporation was engaged in a race to build their own dark matter harvester.
Some nations even resorted to sabotaging their rivals' access to the resources required for these technologies. It dawned on everyone that dark matter was infinitely more perilous than a nuclear bomb. Whoever controlled dark matter would control not just the world, but possibly the entire solar system. At that moment, I realized the fallacy of my previous beliefs. Humans needed one another to survive, and unity was the key to advancing to a type 2 civilization. The world had plunged into another era of Cold War.
In the year 2150, a decade after the theory of the dark matter harvester had been published within the scientific community, the first prototype was built by my organization, Star Lap, a research initiative funded in secret by gazillionaires.
During the first trial of the dark energy harvester prototype, we discovered that it could power a population of 10 million for a decade. It was a monumental discovery, akin to humanity's first mastery of fire. We hypothesized that the combination of cyborg enhancements and dark matter energy could elevate a human to godlike capabilities, with more research and development I could only imagine the possibilities that an advance harvester would have in the near future.
However, we were already too late to change our fate, for we had unwittingly attracted the attention of the mythical gods, who had long been thought to be mere legends. We had believed ourselves to be alone in the universe, but we were grievously mistaken.
This marked the beginning of our civilization downfall. The gods, absent for eons, began appearing in the dreams of religious individuals, bestowing divine revelations and prophesying doomsday. Mass hysteria gripped humanity, already divided by brewing tensions. The age-old question of whose god was real plagued minds, even atheists and scientists began seeing gods in their dreams.
In this vulnerable moment for humanity, the so-called gods from various religions had sent their heavenly alien armies, populated by metahumans. These beings appeared as evolved humans, towering over seven feet tall, and possessed the power to manipulate dark matter. With their supernatural abilities, they performed miracles with a mere wave of their hands—granting sight to the blind, mobility to the crippled, healing diseases of the lower-class citizen and even reversing aging.
Impressively, their feats could have been replicated through technology. But due to the greed of a select few, average citizens never had access to such revolutionary treatments. The gods swiftly amassed followers, toppling governments worldwide and replacing them with religious figureheads known as the Apostles of the Gods.
Economic and scientific progress ground to a halt, as necessities like food and medicine were provided freely by these beings. The world transformed into a utopia for religious citizen, but in my eyes, it was on the precipice of devolving into a dystopian caste system.
These so-called gods had a singular purpose: to halt technological advancement. Regrettably, they succeeded, gradually eradicating technology and scientific research, branding it as evil. Within two years, all centers of scientific development and AI research were obliterated by the new religious order. During the ensuing holy crusades led by these religious zealots, billions of humans who refused to submit to the gods' will were executed as unforgivable criminals, scorned by the universe.
Society turned hostile towards non-believers and the queer community. Centuries of technological advancement were reduced to ashes within a mere three years. Only a handful of individuals remained who despised the false gods and understood why technological progress had been stifled. Yet, they were ostracized by the new society, branded as cultists of science, rebels, and non-believers.
I was one of these high-profile rebels, formerly a renowned scientist in the field of dark matter studies. My status had plummeted to that of a lowly criminal, unwanted by society. Fortunately, we were able to evade the gaze of cosmic beings by employing the dark matter integrated into our signal disruptors, creating a shield that concealed us from these beings. However, this method was temporary, lasting only 15 to 20 years. The prototype required vast amounts of rare resources, which were now illegal and banned by the new religious governments. In this new world rule by zealots, people valued the favor of their gods over money and material possessions.
To avert our impending doom, I conceived a time-traveling machine powered by dark matter energy. My aim was to journey back in time, accelerating human evolution into metahumans, providing them a fighting chance against these beings. However, my prototype was deemed too risky, as it was untested and consumed a significant portion of our limited dark matter energy. We believed that an alternative solution to confront the metahumans and reclaim Earth within 15 years would emerge.
Yet, even that slim reprieve was snatched away. A past trillionaire turned rogue, hiding among our group, betrayed us to our enemies by revealing our location. Driven mad by his inability to adapt to a lifestyle confined within a nuclear bunker, he sought to appease the religious fanatics by sacrificing us like cattle.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
With no other option, I hastily assembled the prototype machine and decided to take the perilous step of becoming the first human subject. I clung to hope that my colleagues would escape safely to another base, as they had families relying on them. I, however, had nothing tying me to this world, having never married and lost my parents during a space exploration mission when I was just 10 years old.
My love for science had been my sole anchor all these years, and now, with everyone deserting the base in fear of the approaching enemy, I stood alone. After a few days, the alarms blared; the enemy had discovered our location. so, resolution to change our destiny I stepped into the prototype, activated it, and input the year and destination. In my final moments, I realized the depths to which a person would go to chase their dreams.
Yet, something went dreadfully wrong with the time machine. Instead of sending me back to 2025, during the AI revolution era, I found myself reborn on an alternate Earth in the same year but as a damned mouse.
In my second life as a mouse, I lived by instinct—mating, scavenging, and evading predators. Then, one fateful day, a human with metahuman abilities summoned me to an unfamiliar place. There, I absorbed a peculiar energy, which enabled me to recall my past memories which I was honestly very thankful for, but the red alert, which covered half of my vision, was making me feel depressed, it read.
"Warning: You have been chosen by a summoner. Your life is now linked to your master's. Their life and death will impact yours."
Time remaining at Tera: 18 hours.
Mana Traded: +20 MP
After my newfound master instructed me to stay inside the room and departed, I began to contemplate my life's journey the whole day while eating the food he gave me on the floor like a lowly rodent due to my hunger. From being a world-renowned scientist who had made significant contributions in the field of dark matter energy, to becoming a refugee hunted by fanatics, to being reborn as a mouse and now serving a metahuman.
But after I was teleported back to earth, I notice, there was something more. In the corner of my mousy vision, there was a floating object. Upon focusing on it, I saw a blue window box: like an AR augmentation from my past life, it was different from the first warning box.
Name: Jonathan Star XV
Species: Rodent
Body Age: 1 year
Soul Age: 35 years (human male)
Soul Origin: Earth Variant 2222
Class Awakened: Alternate Earth Scientist. Level: 20 (Type 1 Civilization Knowledge)
Second Class: Psychic Mouse. Level: 1
Title: The One Who Despises Cosmic Beings
After some reflection, I realized that this might be one of the greatest opportunities of my existence. Perhaps I could emerge from this experience stronger than ever before. Furthermore, the possibility of returning to my own universe still existed, provided I perfected the art of parallel travel. My only concern was the potential presence of cosmic beings on this alternate Earth who might suppress any attempts at higher evolution. Nevertheless, I had seen their game, and this time, I would be prepared. This time, I would become the supreme scientist, striking fear into their hearts at the mere mention of my name. Ha-ha-ha, I chuckled psychotically. In mouse language, it translated to squeak-squeak-squeak."
Back to present
**Species Name: (Bone Dragon)
**Danger tier: (S tier)
**Description: The Bone Dragon is a unique and enigmatic species of dragon that stands apart from its living, fire-breathing counterparts. These creatures are a macabre fusion of death and draconic essence, and their existence is shrouded in dark mystery.
**Physical Characteristics: Bone Dragons are massive, skeletal creatures, devoid of scales or flesh. Their bones are an ashen white, polished to an eerie gleam by the dark magic that sustains them. Their wings, though bony and tattered, are surprisingly agile, allowing them to glide silently through the night.
Instead of eyes, Bone Dragons possess hollow sockets that emanate an otherworldly, ghostly glow. This eerie light is often the first sign of their approach, casting an unsettling pallor over the land they traverse.
**Abilities: **
*Necrotic Breath: Unlike their living counterparts, Bone Dragons do not breathe fire. Instead, they expel a noxious, necrotic breath that withers and corrupts anything it touches. This breath can drain the life force from living creatures or animate the dead.
*Dark Magic Affinity: Bone Dragons are steeped in dark magic. They can harness this power to control and command undead minions, summoning them to do their bidding. This affinity also grants them resistance to conventional forms of magic.
*Immortality: Bone Dragons are virtually immortal as long as their phylactery, an object containing their soul, remains intact. Destroying the phylactery is the only known way to permanently defeat a Bone Dragon.
**Habitat: Bone Dragons are rarely seen in the daylight. They prefer to lair in desolate, forsaken places such as ancient crypts, haunted caverns, or cursed mausoleums. These grim habitats serve as sanctuaries for the undead minions that serve them.
"We need to destroy the bone dragon's phylactery; it should be hidden somewhere in the cave. Can you find it?" I asked Valcy. The reason S-tier undead are so dangerous is that they can revive indefinitely unless we destroy their soul vessel. Fortunately, I have the right person with me to locate it.
"Yes, it's 20 feet below the rubble where the bone dragon rests," she replied with a frown. "Digging through such heavy stone rubble will be impossible in a short time, and it will surely notice us if we get closer than 500 meters. I think we should retreat and come back when you are stronger," she urged.
Her words made sense, but I didn't want to retreat just yet.
"I have a little friend who might be able to get inside the rubble quicker than anyone," I told her, clearly hinting at the mouse I had summoned yesterday.
"Do you mean that mouse? Does it even understand your words?" she inquired. "It's silly, but the mouse might have actually gained some form of sentience," I replied.
Let's see if that's still the case. I closed my eyes, imagined that specific mouse in my mind, and murmured, "Summon mouse."
This time, my incorporeal form took me to the same abandoned house, but I soon realized that the mouse had changed a few things in the dusty room. I was utterly flabbergasted by the scene in front of me. "Why is the mouse reading about Quantum mechanics on the internet, and where did it even find a smartphone?" I wondered.
That wasn't the end of the oddities, though. There were broken wires, cell phone batteries, RC motors, and what looked like microchips scattered all over the floor. This mouse was up to something. How had it gathered so many materials in one night? It must have collected all these things from the neighborhood. Well, I could ask it later.
But right now, I had more urgent work for it. My resolve was already firm after witnessing the room. This was no ordinary mouse, and it might be able to help us defeat the bone dragon. I hoped it didn't mind coming back to Tera to absorb some mana.
So, without a second thought, I touched the mouse.
Moments later, the mouse appeared on top of my right palm.
"Hey there, little guy. Nice to see you again," I greeted with a smile.
The mouse actually stood up on its hind legs and started squeaking. It reminded me of an Italian guy arguing with someone for putting the wrong ingredient in his pasta. The way its front feet moved even looked like hands to me.
"Okay, calm down, little guy. We may have a language barrier. I'm sorry; I don't understand mouse language," I said to it with a chuckle.
If the mouse could browse the internet, it obviously understood English, but it might not be able to speak due to its species limitations. Actually, there was an easy solution for this. I took out my cell phone, opened the notepad, and placed it near the mouse.
"Here, you can type whatever you want to say," I offered, holding the phone with my left hand. Both Valcy and I directed our attention toward the mouse.
The mouse typed in English, "{Why did you bring me here again?}"
"Wow, you can write in English now. Aren't you full of surprises, little guy?" I remarked. I already knew that the mouse had awakened something in itself due to the mana. It was no ordinary mouse anymore.
"{I know much more, but I assumed you didn't summon me here for a chat}," typed back the mouse.
"Ha-ha, you're right. We need your help, and we're not asking for it for free. If you succeed, I will pay you anything within my capacity," I replied with an awkward chuckle.
"{Usually, I don't trust empty words, but whatever. I am just a mouse now. Tell me, what do you need my help for?}" typed the mouse.
"Before we start, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Gray, and she is my elf companion, Valcy Moonheart. What shall we call you?" I asked the mouse, genuinely curious to know if it had a name.
After a few seconds of pause, the mouse typed, "{You can call me Vengeance}."
I almost burst out laughing at its silly name but refrained from doing so. I didn't want to hurt its pride. Valcy was just looking at us silently because she couldn't understand English.
"Hey, what are you two conversing about?" she asked me in an Artherian language. Even though she was well-read and knowledgeable about many languages, this was only her second time hearing English. She probably didn't understand anything I had just said.
"The mouse's name is Vengeance, and he agreed to help us," I informed Valcy. She was silent for a while, perhaps digesting the mouse's name, but she didn't laugh. Maybe a sentient mouse was considered normal in her continent, I thought with some amusement.
"Okay, then let's complete our quest before sunset," she replied.
After that, I explained to the mouse that we would distract the dragon for as much as we can while he traveled through the rubble to find the phylactery and destroy it.