---
[Humanoid Pursuit] -- 4 / 100 %
For the next few hours, the squidctopus — who had successfully absorbed the [Infinity Stone] — has been drifting through the waters without a clear goal. It was too preoccupied by new and confusing thoughts that came with the creation of its Ego. There was still much she didn't understand, but she made an attempt to do so at least:
´Ok, so there´s I and there´s Mari´
´And I is Mari and Mari is I´
´But then who is I...´
´If I is here then I should see I... wait, I? What?´
---
[Humanoid Pursuit] -- 5 / 100 %
´So there´s I and I... Two people!´
---
[Humanoid Pursuit] -- 4 / 100 %
´Wait no, this doesn't make any sense. Mari can´t be I and I. And if there´s two people, then it should be even easier for me to find them. But I can't find them, so there's no two people´
´...´
´Wait who is me?´
---
[Humanoid Pursuit] -- Uhm?
´Ok there´s something wrong in the way I think. I think I should change my view a bit. Then again, who is I and my? This is all just too much´
´... Maybe I, I, me and my are all the same person? Yeah, that feels right somehow, then it would make sense again that there´s only one Mari. I think that´s it. I, me and my think so too´
´Hmm´
´So, to bring all this to a point: I, I, me and my are all Mari. But they´re also all mine. But mine is also the other four and Mari who is actually one person´
---
[Humanoid Pursuit] -- This is getting confusing
´Now the big question: Who is this person? I´m back to where I started, aren´t I? Nonono, think positive. I did make some progress, so I won´t let this discourage me. That´s what... they think?´
---
[Humanoid Pursuit] -- 7 / 100 %
´See? Even this weird voice-thingy agrees. The best way to proceed would be to try and search for this I and Mari person and find out who he is´
---
[Mari ♀ (Female)]
´Ok, who She is. Hmm, this doesn't help me find them though...´
The confused cute creature swims along the ocean floor, her tentacles unbeknownst to her playing around with the fine sand beneath, while lost in her own thoughts. The dark waters around her haven´t changed, but she feels better after successfully absorbing the [Infinity Stone]. Her bodily condition, that is. At least if it weren't for the constant increase in hunger she´s been feeling since before again. If not for that, she´d even say everything´s perfect.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Since obtaining a perception of self — granted it's still in the workings — she´s been too preoccupied with useless thoughts to notice the physical changes her body had went through. Though mainly she´s grown bigger, a good chunk, but with nothing there but water to compare her size to, it would honestly be difficult to realize.
She wishes she could just continue floating through the water without a care in the world, but like mentioned before the stupidly inconvenient characteristic of living beings which goes by the name of 'hunger' is starting to nag her out of her own little world. Before long, she decides to give searching for something to eat her all as she already experienced what it feels like to almost starve to death.
-- -- --
The little creature swims around for a literal eternity, no joke it feels like years passed but it´s actually only time dragging more slugishly than an old snail. In any case, after drifting for a very long time, she finally stumbles upon another life in the unforgiving deep waters, upon another face. Or maybe potential food would describe better what her eyes see:
---
[Deep Tuna -- 7 / 7]
She remembers coming across their species before, scaly fatties with comically large heads. Though in her memories they were much, much bigger. And they also didn't wear this window with words and numbers above their head. Not that Mari particularly cares about such minor details.
´Maybe this one's still a child? Lucky´
Because the flow in her mind Instantly decides to make this one her prey. And so she prepares for the hunt as she´s done a billion times already. Believe me or not, this number may not even be exaggerated. She´s more than used to hunting from way back in the good old days:
---
[Skill: Camouflage -- Active] (4:58 Minutes left)
Adjust the color of your body to your surroundings. Bonus to Effect if adjusting color not to air or water: +300%.
She carefully slithers through the sand pretending to be one of the many weirdly-shaped stones around, careful not to make a cloud and stopping every now and then when her instincts tells her she could be discovered. Not that she ever would by a mere [Deep Tuna] even if she was only ten percent as careful, but better safe than sorry. Then, when she´s directly beneath the unsuspecting monster, she waits for an opportunity.
The moment soon shows itself: The [Deep Tuna] has come to a temporary stop, either to take a breather or because it found something. In this short window of time, the Squid relentlessly goes in for the kill. Like a lightning precisely striking down on the highest tree, she whips her tentacles for the monster and has it wrapped before the fish even knows what hit it. When it finally does understand what´s going in, it whips around violently, struggling for its life and even almost succeeding, but in the end the squidctopus comes out as the stronger party. Her tentacles aren´t just for show, after all.
The fish soon weakens, having used up all of its energy and seemingly resigned to its fate. Like a spider attending to what´s been caught in its net, the squidctopus too begins her digestion in earnest:
---
[Life-Essence Plunderer] has been Activated
Absorption of Life-Essence in progress...
´This... Somehow feels different from usual. Strange? Am I really eating? But... it's also not bad. Actually who am I kidding, this feels really good. What is this?´
As she thinks that, the numbers to the left of the monster´s name go down. One by one. The monster inside her clutches begins struggling like fish usually do again, but its much weaker now. There´s not a single universe where she´d let it go.
---
[Deep Tuna -- 6 / 7]
---
[Deep Tuna -- 5 / 7]
---
[Deep Tuna -- 4 / 7]
The rush only keeps increasing. Mari never felt something quite like this ever before. The Life-Essence flowing inside her body... tickling every last part of her body, filling her brain with sweet, addicting pleasure. She doesn't want it to stop, never again, this ascent to heaven. She wants more, she needs more.
---
[Deep Tuna -- 1 / 7]
---
[Deep Tuna -- 0 / 7]
All Life-Essence has been absorbed in one go. 50% Bonus added
As the last drop of Life-Essence from the [Deep Tuna] trickles into her body all pleasure gathers into a single spot, then explosively expands to wash across her whole body, to the tip of her head and every single tentacle.
'Hnnng!'
Mari almost loses consciousness from the overwhelming thrill. Without giving a command or realizing, her body squirts a plume of black ink and releases the prey from her tentacles, but there´s only a pile of fishbones left that gently land on the sand. On that note, she falls beside them.
---
10 Life-Essence has been Absorbed!
Level Up! You have reached: Level 2 (0 / 20)!
Stats increased!
Empty [Slot] has been occupied with: [Fast Swimming] (10 / 10)
Congratulations! You have obtained a new [Skill]!
[Fast Swimming] added to [Skill List]!
Bonus to Movement in water: 10% (+ 1% x Skill-Level)
Currently: 11%
´Oh my fucking god what was that?! It felt absolutely incredible... Never before... I...'
'...'
I felt incredible. Yes... Yes! I finally got it! I! I am I, Mari is me and I am Mari!
---
[Humanoid Pursuit] -- 13 / 100 %
´Haha! Why was this so confusing? Now that I get it it´s so stupidly easy´
This was the point when Mari realized one of the most fundamental rules of the universe. Everything's easy as shit once you get it...
´I´m also not hungry anymore. no wonder, the whole monster is gone. Normally I´d share a catch with my whole school, but it´s so much better to have it all for myself. There was so much, and it was delicious. And it feels so good finally understanding myself!´
´On the note of feeling good, there was also that feeling... I need more.'