[Multicellular Evolution Complete. Main Consciousness, strive for greater heights.]

"…"

"Just like that, out of the gate with a flourish. Is the system acting up lately?"

"The brain just appeared? That's strangely simple."

Having just exited the biological editing space, the Lightning Bug quickly twisted its body, a streak of electricity coursing through it, bringing a sense of comfort.

"Still can't see anything. I guess reaching the shallow sea, where sunlight penetrates, is essential. Expecting light in the deep sea was a mistake."

"Let's put the flagella and tendrils to the test."

With that thought, the Lightning Bug noticed a newfound sense of gravity that it didn't possess during its single-cell days, adding to its excitement.

Targeting downward, and sensing no threats, it flicked its flagella and began to descend slowly. The gentle strokes of its tendrils seemed to provide some additional propulsion.

Time mischievously leaped by, and soon, as if encountering an invisible wall, the seabed appeared in the Lightning Bug's mental perception, directly below its body.

"Almost at the seafloor!"

"After so long without touching anything solid, I can finally feel the ground beneath me." With enthusiasm, the Lightning Bug moved forward, propelled by its flagella.

"Though accustomed to drifting in the water, solid ground brings a sense of security."

Reflecting on this, the Lightning Bug redoubled its efforts toward the seabed.

The mental perception revealed nothing but mud and sedimentary rock on the ocean floor, completely barren otherwise.

"There doesn't seem to be any danger."

A sudden unease struck the Lightning Bug. While gliding parallel to the seabed, it seemed to bump into something, yet its mental perception showed only a barely noticeable thin line, much like seaweed, extending from the mud.

"A string-like object?"

"Tentacle! Damn it!"

Fortunately, the heightened vigilance from past experiences allowed the Lightning Bug to react instantly, tensing its cells and releasing an electric burst. The sudden flash illuminated a tentacle emerging from the sand, reaching towards its body.

The hasty electric discharge barely stunned the tentacle, but it was enough to give the Lightning Bug a brief chance to escape its grasp.

"If I had muscles, I'd have dodged faster."

After a brief upward swim, the electric discharge, being widespread and hastily deployed, lacked impact but still managed to briefly paralyze the tentacle. It seemed the unknown tentacled creature had decent electrical resistance.

Regaining control, the creature quickly retracted its exposed tentacle and stirred up silt to obscure the water, choosing not to pursue further—perhaps wary of another electric shock from the Lightning Bug.

"Glad I reacted quickly, or that could've been the end. Seems the seabed isn't safe."

Reflecting on the swiftly withdrawn tentacle, the Lightning Bug shuddered with residual fear.

For now, it didn't dare approach the ground again. Testing the electric tendrils and flagella would have to wait "until I accumulate enough evolution points," it thought.

"Even a seemingly safe world through mental perception can't be fully trusted. I can't sense solid entities like the ground or rocks; such ambushes remain dangerous."

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Choosing a direction that felt like it led toward shallower waters, the Lightning Bug maintained a cautious distance from the seabed while propelling itself forward with flagella and tendrils.

※※※

"Damn it, what's with this Lightning Bug? Might as well call myself Snail Bug at this pace."

After a few frustrated flicks of the flagella, utterly dissatisfied with its current speed, the Lightning Bug despondently stopped using the flagella, which seemed ineffective.

"At this rate, when will I ever reach the shallow sea?"

Abandoning the flagella, it entered a nearby water current, letting it carry the body. Surprisingly, this passive movement was faster than swimming, deepening the Lightning Bug's disdain for its slow flagellar propulsion.

Scanning its surroundings, the Lightning Bug hoped to encounter a fast-moving multicellular organism to acquire a fast movement component. Whether it could catch and defeat such prey wasn't a concern for now.

"Going with the flow isn't bad, most people in modern society drift along too. Plus, it saves a lot of nutrients."

"Mm, is this ancestral seaweed? It's tastier and easier to chew than multicellular chunks."

Swallowing a drifting piece of algae, the Lightning Bug felt a significant nutritional boost. But how long would it take to reach the shallow sea like this?

That question left it feeling helpless. However, in movies, shipwreck survivors often wash ashore, so maybe a nap would end in waking up on a beach.

Currently, the Lightning Bug resembled a jellyfish lazily floating in the ocean, just like those seen on nature shows. Yet unlike the large, familial clusters of jellyfish, it floated alone, not even reaching Robinson Crusoe's level—he at least had Friday. The difference was stark.

"8051 said the dispersed microcells would complete their evolution to multicellular organisms in succession. Why haven't I encountered any?"

Floating idly was dull, with nothing but darkness all around.

"In a deep-sea horror flick, isn't this where a giant monster bursts from the darkness and opens its jaws wide?" The Lightning Bug’s extreme boredom led to such remarks, yet the silent darkness stubbornly maintained its mystery, unwilling to reveal anything.

"Seafloor volcanoes, earthquakes, deep-sea monsters, anything—show yourself! This bland world isn't an ancient mysterious sea, it's a dime-a-dozen dark room." After drifting for ages, the monotony and emptiness made the Lightning Bug’s mind darker than reality.

Perhaps its complaints were mistaken for wishes, overheard by a passing system deity. Mid-rant and almost transforming into a wraith of resentment, the Lightning Bug noticed an odd shift in the current, followed by rising bubbles from the seabed.

"What's happening? A monster or an undersea earthquake?"

Instantly alert, the Lightning Bug felt a tremor, electricity crackling through its body.

Yet, after the initial jolt, the water calmed.

Though miraculously avoiding the rising bubbles, the Lightning Bug wasn't disappointed.

"An initial anomaly, then relative calm, followed by a more intense eruption—classic disaster film formula."

"Heh, these charming bubbles keep rising, but why? Earthquake, monster, volcano, or something mysterious?"

On the verge of madness from the endless dark space, the Lightning Bug ignored personal safety, voicing a wicked complaint.

Indeed, after a brief calm, the simple cluster eyes detected a dramatic flare of light ahead—(the perception of light was immense). A violent shockwave expanded outward. Awed by the unexpected fiery display, the Lightning Bug was swept away by the shockwave before it could react, losing consciousness instantly.

[Severe impact detected, primary organism deceased.]

[Detected an organism of the same species with a mental imprint, transferring main consciousness to this organism.]

In a region the Lightning Bug could no longer perceive, gas spewed from the volcano and seafloor fissures, disrupting the tranquil seabed with smoke and steam. Volcanic debris clouded the water, while fresh lava rapidly cooled in the ocean, generating more smoke. Volcanic tremors churned the water, deforming the seafloor as tectonic shifts slowly birthed an island.

Tragically, the Lightning Bug was torn apart in the eruption's force, and its consciousness, now in a kin organism, was unconscious, missing this grand natural spectacle.

"…"

"Uh, where am I?"

"Who am I?"

"Microcell? Jal? Lightning? Or 8051?"

"Feeling dizzy."

Gradually, in a once turbulent but now settling sea (save for the new volcanic island), the conscious Lightning Bug grappled with mental clarity.

Wriggling its body, it unleashed a burst of electricity.

"Ah. Finally awake."

"Darn it, I fainted. Missed such a fiery scene." (Unaware it had perished yet again.)

"Probably an undersea volcanic eruption. Rare sight even for people of the past world. Bummer."

Oblivious to previous danger, the Lightning Bug felt its bodily control "returning," running an electric current to check its system. With mental and physical faculties intact, it sought out a current, hoping it'd eventually drift to shallow waters—continuing its lazy float.

"…"

"Goodness, that was close; I didn't die!"

"A miracle!"

The delayed comprehension brought a wave of relief.

"Body feels slightly stiff to control, a bit dizzy too. Better be cautious from now on."

Though the event was over, and another natural disaster would equally challenge a little soft-bodied creature, the Lightning Bug resolved to remember and steer clear of danger zones in the future.

The water was murky, yet this was advantageous, as it revealed many nutrient-rich substances.

Opening its soft mouth wide, the Lightning Bug let debris flow into its digestive tract, digesting and excreting effortlessly.

"What an easy way to eat."

This leisurely feeding stirred Jal's lazy consciousness within, letting the Lightning Bug drift without effort amid the turbid current.

Forward, backward, left, right…