“Ugh… how many times am I going to pass out? This is getting old,” I muttered, groaning as I sat up.

Strangely, there was no pain—just a dull numbness in my body where I expected agony. Confused, I glanced down at myself, and what I saw made my breath catch in my throat.

My arms… they weren’t normal anymore. They were covered in deep blue scales, gleaming faintly in the sunlight like armor. The scales extended up to my shoulders, seamless and smooth, yet they looked impossibly durable.

“What the…?” I whispered, running my fingers over the textured surface. The sensation was muted, almost like touching something through thick gloves.

I quickly checked the rest of my body, but nothing else seemed to have changed—except for the spots where I had been injured. There, the skin was gone, replaced by the same blue scales. But all I felt was that numbing sensation, as though the wounds had sealed themselves.

Turning to where the monster’s body should have been, I was startled to find it gone. In its place lay a small crimson orb, no larger than a tennis ball, pulsing faintly with an eerie inner glow.

“What is that?” I murmured, taking a hesitant step toward it.

Despite the unease swirling in my gut, I reached out and picked up the orb. It felt warm, almost alive, as it rested in my palm. Swirling streams of red energy churned hypnotically within it, like a storm trapped in glass.

“What are you…” I whispered, transfixed.

Then, without warning, the orb began to unravel. The red energy flowed out like liquid light, coursing up my arm. I gasped, dropping the empty shell of the orb as the energy spread, weaving through my veins and disappearing into my chest.

The sensation wasn’t painful, but it was overwhelming—warmth and pressure radiated through my body. I clutched my chest, staggering back a step. “I’m not going to get some terminal illness from this, am I?” I muttered, half-joking, half-panicked.

As the sensation faded, a realization struck me. The Developer’s Eye—how could I have forgotten? With everything happening, it had completely slipped my mind.

I activated it, and the familiar terminal overlay flashed into view. Immediately, lines of code and notifications bombarded my vision, scrolling faster than I could keep up. But a few key messages caught my eye:

[New Branching Skill - Mimic - Unlocked]

[New Mimic Form Acquired: Gekren]

[Gekren Mana Core Assimilated:]

[Mansian Mana Production - Level 4 → Level 15]

[Bandwidth Increased: 4 → 60 Terabytes]

[Packet Loss Reduced: 67% → 56%]

“What…?” My voice faltered as I stared at the notifications.

The term Mimic stood out immediately. A branching skill? I had never encountered anything like this before. And Gekren—was that the creature I had just defeated? My mind raced with possibilities. My movements were effortless, and every step carried a surprising spring. It was as if my body had been fine-tuned, streamlined for speed and precision. Without thinking, I broke into a run.

I dashed through the forest, weaving between trees and leaping over roots with ease I’d never known before. It was exhilarating, almost intoxicating. Within moments, I reached the river where I had first taken cover earlier.

Kneeling by the water’s edge, I stared into the rippling surface, unsure of what I’d see.

The reflection staring back at me wasn’t entirely my own.

My eyes, once round and soft, had become sharp and menacing, with slitted pupils like those of a predator. Along the edges of my face, faint streaks of scales shimmered, the same deep blue as those on my arms. They traced delicate, almost elegant patterns along my cheekbones and jawline, accentuating my features.

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My hair, thankfully, was unchanged, still its normal color and texture. But beyond that… I looked like someone—or something—entirely different.

I reached up to touch my face, feeling the ridges of the scales under my fingertips. My heart raced, a mix of fear, awe, and something else I couldn’t quite place.

In an attempt to learn more about what was happening, I reopened the terminal. Navigating to the skills section, I found an entry labeled Mimic. Next to it was a button titled "Mimic Ability Interface." Which I pressed curiously.

[Mimic Ability Interface: Active]

Mimic Form: Gekren

Status: Integrated

Bandwidth Usage:

* Idle: 5 Gigabytes/sec (~200 Hours of Usage)

* Active: 50 Gigabytes/sec (~20 Hours of Usage)

* High Output: 500 Gigabytes/sec (~2 Hours of Usage)

Estimates only include Mimic usage. If other abilities are utilized, these figures will diverge from the estimates.

Active Description:

* Strength Enhancement: 2x base physical strength.

* Agility Enhancement: 3x base movement speed and reaction time.

High Output Description:

* Thermal Vision: Allows detection of heat signatures through environmental obstructions.

* Energy Claws: Summons claws of concentrated energy capable of cutting through dense material.

“Thermal vision… energy claws…?” I murmured, half in disbelief. The information was overwhelming, yet it felt oddly natural, as if these abilities were already a part of me.

The scales on my arms shimmered faintly, and a strange, magnetic pull surged through my hands. I focused on the sensation, and with a spark of intention, luminous claws extended from my fingertips. They glowed with a faint blue hue, pulsating softly.

I swung my arm experimentally, and the claws left faint trails in the air before slicing cleanly through a nearby branch. There was no resistance—the cut was perfect.

“Whoa…” Awe crept into my voice. I flexed my fingers, and the claws retracted, leaving behind a subtle tingling sensation.

Next, I turned my focus to thermal vision. With a thought, the world shifted—everything dimmed, and vibrant heat signatures replaced the natural colors around me. The warmth of the forest floor, the heat lingering from my footsteps, and even the faint traces of wildlife glowed in vivid shades of orange and red.

Turning it off was as simple as thinking it, and my vision returned to normal.

The implications were staggering. Not only had I survived that creature, but I had also gained something extraordinary—a fighting advantage that might mean the difference between life and death in the future.

The faint hum of power coursed through my body, almost comforting now. The fear that had consumed me earlier was gone, replaced by a growing confidence. Whatever this transformation had done to me, I intended to make full use of it.

‘But… I don’t want to look like a lizard person all the time.’ The thought lingered in my mind as I stared at my reflection in the river. Tentatively, I focused on shifting back, imagining myself as I am normaly.

The scales began to recede, pulling away from my arms and face. My sharp, reptilian eyes softened, returning to their usual appearance. Relief started to flood me—until pain suddenly shot through my body like a lightning strike.

The agony was indescribable. As the scales withdrew from the areas where I had been injured during the fight and fall, the protective numbness they had provided vanished, leaving raw pain in its wake. It was so intense that my vision blurred, and my mind clouded to the point where I could barely form coherent thoughts.

With the sliver of consciousness I had left, I forced myself to imagine reverting back to the mimic form. The moment the thought took shape, the scales returned, wrapping around me like a shield. The pain dulled instantly, though the memory of it lingered, leaving me shaken.

I sank to my knees by the river, my breathing ragged. Shifting back wasn’t going to be as simple as I’d hoped. The realization hit hard: I’d need medical attention as soon as I reverted, but how was I going to manage that when I looked like this?

I glanced at my scales, their faint shimmer catching the sunlight. If I stay active, I’ll have about 20 hours before I can’t maintain this form anymore. That wasn’t a lot of time, and my options were painfully limited.

Option one: find the others and rely on them to get me medical help. But I don’t know how long I was out or where they’ve gone… What if I’m too late to catch up?

Option two: my thoughts turned toward Elli. Return to her village, sneak in quietly, and revert before facing her. She’s the only person I know who might help me… and it’s my best chance.

The plan wasn’t without risk, but it felt safer and more likely to succeed than wandering aimlessly. After weighing the options in my mind, I made my decision.

I pushed myself to my feet, my body still buzzing faintly with the residual energy of the mimic form. Elli… I hope you’re still there, I thought, setting off to her village.