"I'm back again!"

[Welcome back, Gar.]

"Hmm? Why am I still in the ocean?"

The surroundings were filled with water, and he was still surrounded by a sea.

"No, this is a holographic image. And I’m an entity of consciousness."

"8051, has the space evolved again?"

Upon returning to the biological editing space, Gar found that the space had evolved from the initial darkness of the single-cell stage, to the brightness of the soft-bodied stage, and now, entering the aquatic biological stage, the biological editing space had evolved once more. The entire space had transformed into a miniature shallow sea environment.

Floating to the surface with his consciousness, a small beach lay not far away.

Without a means to measure, Gar couldn't gauge its size, but comparing the size of the Thunder Bug in the holographic image to the approximate scale, it seemed like it would take several days at Thunder Bug's maximum speed to swim from one end to the other.

[Indeed, the space has evolved, referencing the current planet you are on and your current living environment. The space now features a shallow sea environment as its backdrop, but no living organisms are present.]

"It definitely seems better than that monotonous space before; it’s even uplifting."

[Additionally, regarding the current function of the space, I can provide you with some explanations.]

"Yes, explanations are good. The more, the better, hehe."

[Before that, let me ask, haven’t you noticed why the space only regularly contains your consciousness entity and the biological holographic image?]

"I'm not some idio—"

"Uh, I almost fell into that one. Well played, 8051. So, do these two things have some hidden function?"

[So you haven’t noticed at all. 8051 expresses disappointment.]

“…”

[Forget it, expecting too much was my mistake. In some sense, the holographic image is the closest thing to your true self. The organisms you controlled were merely a part of your consciousness manifested in those bodies.]

"What does that mean?" Gar felt confused.

[It means that in this stage of the biological editing space, you can not only edit your species through the holographic image but also temporarily merge your consciousness into the image, allowing you to control the body within this biological editing space to test the rationality of your evolution.]

"So, I can now also operate within the biological editing space."

"Let’s try it now." Eager to test the new functionality added to the previously monotonous space, Gar rushed to the holographic image.

[Wait, your species is still evolving and cannot be tested, uh.]

8051 was about to mention that testing was currently unavailable when Gar was already repelled back a distance by the holographic image.

"Tch, you could have said that earlier."

Observing the holographic image emitting green light, it seemed to indicate ongoing evolution.

[……]

"Alright, 8051, my bad. So, what’s up with those titles I heard upon entering?"

A faintly glowing screen appeared.

[Title System

This system was activated when the main consciousness entered the soft-bodied stage, affirming the abilities of the main consciousness by the system.

Categories:

There are two types: main consciousness titles and species titles (current stage), each with beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.

Main consciousness titles reward the main consciousness for biological evolution capability; species titles reward outstanding performance by the species under the main consciousness's control.

Functions:

Regular functions: Main consciousness titles primarily enhance the main consciousness’s ability to edit biological evolution; species titles enhance certain abilities of the controlled species.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Special functions: Related to the civilization stage (not activated).

Evaluation method: When the main consciousness shows outstanding performance in certain areas, the system evaluates and awards titles to the main consciousness at the end of the current stage.

Current titles: Bone Architect, Legion Title.]

Seeing the special function of titles relating to the civilization stage made Gar reflect, "Finally something mentioning the civilization stage, though it’s not activated... Well, for now, it’s still far away. I need to take things step by step; I’m not one for aiming too high without a foundation."

Setting aside thoughts on the civilization stage, since even his brain had only recently evolved, developing civilization seemed far off. Gar continued to examine his two titles.

[Bone Architect

Awarded for outstanding performance in assembling the initial bones during biological evolution.

Intermediate main consciousness title.]

[Legion Title

Awarded for the species under the main consciousness's control, independently gathering and reproducing without direct control, and demonstrating excellent cooperative action when faced with formidable enemies.

Beginner species title.]

"Such simple introductions, I suppose I’ll have to explore the rest myself."

[If you wish to explore and discover the fun yourself, I would agree. 8051 enjoys observing a slightly startled main consciousness.]

“Uh, of course.”

"Wait, does this mean I don’t need to explore these myself? What are the functions of these titles, 8051?"

[The function of titles, especially the main consciousness titles, can vary significantly whether explored independently or hinted by the system. Moreover, they are slightly atypical functions, so we will provide a direct explanation.]

[Let's first look at the Legion Title. As a beginner species title, its function is passive. In summary, it enhances your species' survival capabilities. This means, even without your direction, your species will autonomously congregate and inhabit, adopting your previous hunting methods for foraging. When attacked, they will summon companions. When faced with strong enemies, they will swarm like a legion.]

"Seems quite beneficial, despite only being beginner level."

"While it has a smaller impact on groups under my control, it greatly benefits those not directly under my control." So pondering, Gar awaited 8051’s continued explanation.

[Now onto the intermediate main consciousness title Bone Architect. If you had merely used a snail shell to complete the soft-bodied stage, no title would have been awarded. If too simplistic, the system might have deemed it elimination-worthy, which you know the result of.]

“…”

[Completing either the spine or external light armor limbs might have awarded a beginner title. However, your fondness for bones led you to start new components before finishing previous ones. Until your entire skeleton was complete, the system hadn’t awarded the title, but upon completion, evaluated and granted the intermediate title.]

“Hehe, who knew my penchant for assembling things would prove useful,” Gar chuckled to himself.

However.

"Had I not encountered that tentacled turtle and seen my unprotected brain and organs, I might have settled for just a spine and considered the stage complete."

Subconsciously, Gar reflected in his deep consciousness.

[Bone Architect has three major functions: Component Skeletal Construction, Component Bone Replacement, and Skeletal Adjustment Enhancement.]

[Component Skeletal Construction allows you to embed existing skeletal templates into various body components. The system will make rational adjustments based on the bone and component configurations, creating new endoskeletal components. You only pay 1/3 of the evolution value for this integration and initial component equipage.

For example, previously embedding bones into your electric appendages was simplistic, lacking joint forms, so post-evaluation, they formed new electric fins without consuming evolution value, as it was seen as self-evolution in the soft-bodied stage.

Additionally, acquiring a good mouth template could allow you to replace your weak jaw.]

[Component Bone Replacement concerns your skeleton mainly composed of electric stone, unlike varied planetary bone types. Without replacing skeletal material, equipping bones of different materials requires either full skeletal replacement or high-cost alteration of existing components. Component Bone Replacement allows conversion of these bones to your electric stone, with system adjustments for easy use.]

[Skeletal Adjustment Enhancement typically allows skeleton lengthening, enlargement, and refinement post-transition to the aquatic stage. Function enhancement enables increasing or reducing similar skeletal elements, such as your species’ 37 spine segments, adjusting size, number, and environment adaptation. Organs like rib cages may also be modified.

Since micro-control over cells ceased after the aquatic transition, new bone creation via mental force and cellular collaboration isn't possible. Finding a species with jaws remains necessary for your jaw enhancement.]

"So, creating skeletal functions might be a high-level title benefit in the future?"

[Please explore on your own. 8051 resumes copy-pasting with ease.]

"…"

"The electric fins evolved from my electric appendages—what do they look like, 8051? Let me see."

[Wait a moment. Before that, with evolution nearing completion, would you like to change your species' reproductive method?]

"Of course." Gar was immediately drawn upon hearing reproduction mentioned.

[As you haven’t found another satisfactory reproductive method, you may select a system-provided method within asexual reproduction or switch to sexual reproduction, with the system determining the appropriate method for your species.]

"Naturally, sexual reproduction. I don't want to continue spore reproduction." Perhaps due to his human consciousness, Gar elevated this issue to a matter of principle.

"By the way, please don’t make it hermaphroditic." Recalling the previously discarded hermaphroditic reproduction component, Gar worried.

[The system makes this determination; you can only accept it. 8051 sneered while responding seriously.]

"…" If you weren’t sneering, I’d be scared.

[Main consciousness opts for species reproductive change to sexual reproduction. System assesses species as primitive fish; reproduction method shifts to sexual oviparity.]

[Species evolve gender differences, initiating mating and spawning during reproductive seasons.]

“Finally gendered—I’m not sure if this choice is good or bad, but it feels more natural for me. Thankfully, it’s not hermaphroditic; I’m not interested in that…”

[System detects main consciousness species possess complete soft-bodied visceral systems, prompting evolution to fishlike visceral systems to meet phase needs.]

“Huh.”

“So the soft-bodied visceral system was pretty good.”

Before long, the green glow from the holographic image faded until disappearing, signaling the completion of evolution into an aquatic organism.