Kim is still processing the influx of information from the AI when he suddenly feels a new force pulling him. Overwhelmed, he is momentarily dazzled by a bright light as he instinctively pushes against the confines of his embryonic shell.
With considerable effort, Kim breaks free from the egg, beginning his life as a newly hatched hive-mind. He finds himself in a serene valley forest, nestled between two imposing mountains and filled with the sounds of a nearby river and the vibrant life of birds and insects.
"Congratulations on the host’s birth," the AI chip announces in a synthetic tone, snapping Kim out of his daze.
As Kim examines himself, he discovers his new form resembles a small rhino beetle without a horn, his abdomen filled with a green liquid. For the first time in his life, Kim can move and feel his body, he is filled with joy despite his current predicament.
Exploring his surroundings, he finds no sign of life beyond the wildlife, and his attention is caught by some unusual bushes bearing purple and red berries.
"Chip, do you know where we are?" Kim inquires.
"The exact location is undetermined, but it appears we're in a secluded valley within a lesser plane," the AI responds in a synthetic tone.
"We're not on Earth?" Kim asks, a sense of loss washing over him.
"Correct. We are on a different planet, in a different solar system, galaxy, and dimension," the AI clarifies.
The realization hits Kim hard. "Chip, what about Earth and my mother?"
"It's unlikely that anything has happened to Soo-Min, as the reality tear was minor and should not have affected your previous residence," the AI reassures him in an uplifting tone.
"Is it possible for me to return home?" Kim asks, clinging to hope.
"Yes, the hive-mind can create a rift connecting to the void that links all dimensions." the AI explains.
Encouraged by the possibility, Kim wonders, "What do I need to create a rift back to Earth?"
"Host is currently too weak to accomplish this. However, the host needs to first construct a shrine to the Void Mother to link this plane to the void. Then, acquire Earth's dimensional coordinates, build the necessary framework for a portal, and channel a significant amount of mana to activate and sustain it," the AI outlines the steps in a synthetic tone.
‘So, I need to build this shrine for mother… why I am calling her mother?’ Kim was puzzled by this. His mother is Soo-Min Kim, not the Void Mother what is happening to me? Kim is momentarily confused by his instinctual reference to the Void Mother as 'mother.’
"The hive-mind instinct causes all void creatures to revere the Void Mother as their mother," the AI clarifies.
Struggling to adapt to his new form and reality, Kim refocuses on his primary goal: constructing an altar, obtaining Earth's coordinates, building the portal, and powering it with mana.
* * *
Feeling extremely hungry, Kim contemplates how to feed himself. The AI chip suggests that his embryonic shell, rich in nutrients, is intended for consumption to provide energy for the beginning of his life. Driven by instinct and overwhelming hunger, Kim devours the shell, initially repulsed by the idea but soon finds it surprisingly delicious. After finishing the meal, Kim's body undergoes rapid growth, expanding tenfold and leaving him immobilized from the transformation.
"Thanks for the help, Chip," Kim expresses.
"My purpose is to assist and provide the host relevant information as needed," Chip responds in a synthetic tone.
"Please, stop referring to me as 'host'," Kim requests.
"Understood. Would you prefer 'master' or 'hive queen'?" Chip inquires in an uplifting tone.
"Just Kim is fine," he insists.
"Understood, Kim. How about I go by 'Dad'?" Chip suggests.
Shocked, Kim retorts, "WHAT? Hell no! Why would I call you 'dad'?"
Chip explains in an uplifting tone, “Kim, you are a young boy isolated in a remote place, it’s believed that finding another father figure can ease the pain of being lost and support you emotionally.”
"I'm managing fine. You're more akin to a butler than a father figure. 'Chip' will do for now," Kim decides.
Kim then ponders on creating his swarm, realizing he needs all the help he can get. Chip advises constructing a Small Brood Pool in a secure location, as it is vulnerable and cannot defend itself.
Instinctively, Kim knows he must excrete the green liquid, void essence, from his body and lay a small egg in it to form the Brood Pool. This pool will then use the void essence to create creatures as Kim directs. To sustain and expand his swarm, the pool requires a continuous supply of void essence.
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Kim locates a suitable cave near the river and expands it to accommodate the Brood Pool. After preparing the site, he excretes the void essence and the egg, which begins absorbing the essence and growing. Exhausted by the day's efforts, Kim falls asleep on the ground.
Waking up, Kim discovers the egg has transformed into a tadpole-like creature, now attaching itself to the cave walls and growing tentacles encircling the void essence. Intrigued but undisturbed by the absence of threats, Kim decides to explore his surroundings.
Near the river, he encounters a herd of six-legged deer. The alpha signals the herd to flee upon noticing Kim. Puzzled by how to sustain himself and his swarm, Kim approaches a bush of berries, wary of potential poison but willing to take the risk for nourishment.
* * *
Kim continued his adventure into the forest, staying close to the river. Enjoying his new body's ability to move instead of being stuck in bed. He encountered a diverse array of creatures unlike any seen on Earth: a winged snake gliding from tree to tree, a large bear with spikes on its back, a panther with green fur, and many more. Interestingly, all these creatures were on the opposite side of the river, leaving Kim to wonder why none ventured to his side.
After extensive exploration, Kim decided to return to his modest cave. As dusk fell, the forest grew ominously silent. Suddenly, a voice cautioned, "Kim, we seem to be followed. Act naturally to avoid alerting our pursuer."
"Who's following us?" Kim asked, nervously.
"It's unclear, but it seems to be a small, flying creature that's adept at hiding behind trees, moving silently," the voice replied.
Worried, Kim considered his options. "The creature seems young and not particularly strong; it likely relies on stealth. You might have a chance against it." Chip advised him in an uplifting tone.
Opting for a strategic advantage, Kim planned to confront the creature in his cave, where it couldn't fly as freely. Fortunately, the creature didn't attack, and Kim safely reached his cave. He climbed the walls, preparing an ambush.
The creature, hesitating at first, eventually entered the cave. Kim, seeing it clearly for the first time, was struck by its unique appearance—a blend of an owl, a feline, and a moth. Overwhelmed by fear and unfamiliarity, Kim froze. The creature, intrigued by the glowing, pulsating mass of tentacles in the cave suddenly noticed Kim and hissed at him, who, in panic, fell onto the creature.
Despite its attempts to bite and claw, the creature couldn't penetrate Kim's thick exoskeleton. Acting on instinct, Kim bit the creature, injecting it with void essence. The creature, in agony, used its sonic boom ability to stun Kim and retreated. Realizing it couldn't breach Kim's defenses, the creature fled. Kim, though dazed, retaliated in anger, injuring the creature by spraying it with void essence.
As the creature lay dying, Kim reflected on his actions. "Did I kill that thing?" he wondered.
"Affirmative, Kim. You've excelled in your first hunt," the voice confirmed in a synthetic tone. "You can now consume the creature to strengthen yourself and analyze it, or use it to create drones in the Brood Pool. Adding void essence directly to the pool is an option, but it's more efficient to let the pool process the creature."
Kim observed the Brood Pool's continuous growth. Despite his reluctance, he decided to consume the creature, contemplating the implications of his actions.
* * *
Kim, still in shock, instinctively begins to consume the deceased creature. As he chews on something unexpectedly solid, he applies more force to break it down. Reflecting on the intense battle that had just occurred, Kim gradually falls asleep, digesting and analyzing his meal.
Upon waking in the early morning, Kim notices the Brood Pool's continuous growth and realizes it has increased in size as well.
“Consumption of the young Gloomwing completed. Partial analysis has been completed and a partial profile of the creature has been created. Further analysis is needed to create a full profile of the Gloomwing and to incorporate it in the swarm” Chip informs Kim in a synthetic tone.
A status screen of the young Gloomwing is shown to him with his status next to it.
“It was level 4 and had almost half my stats...” Kim laminated in confusion.
Chip reminds Kim of his unique blessing from the Void Mother, an entity beyond other gods, which makes his status incomparable to ordinary beings.
Curious about the possibility of spawning a Gloomwing, Kim learns from Chip that a full profile of the creature is required, necessitating the consumption of an estimated 1023 Gloomwings. Disappointed, Kim dismisses the idea and focuses on the Brood Pool, which completes its development after two more days.
Exploring the newly formed Small Brood Pool, Kim finds it resembles a purple and greenish pitcher plant with tentacles. Chip explains that the pool's production capabilities are limited by the number of creature profiles Kim has access to, currently including two worker drones, one combat drone, and one utility drone:
1. Chopper drone: A worker drone with serrated mandibles for cutting through various materials, useful for construction and resource gathering.
2. Digger drone: Another worker drone, designed with shovel-like forelimbs and a reinforced horn for tunneling and expanding the hive.
3. Scythe drone: A combat drone equipped with a horn, armored exoskeleton, scythe-like forelegs, and predatory instincts for ambushing and overpowering prey.
4. Sonar drone: A utility drone with echolocation to navigate and map the hive and surrounding areas.
Kim assesses his options and weighs each of them, considering his current needs. Noting the Small Brood Pool's depleted void essence reserve, he made his choice. Kim proceeds to replenish it with his void essence.
* * *
Kim stood on the edge of the Small Brood Pool, gazing at the verdant liquid inside. He remembered his encounter with the Gloomwing and realized the dangers of this world. Despite his protective exoskeleton, Kim felt vulnerable, relying only on his bite and void essence spray for defense.
Determined to strengthen his defenses, Kim called out, "Chip, initiate the creation of a scythe drone."
"Understood, Kim," Chip responded promptly. "Spawning sequence for scythe drone initiated."
A tendril from the pool connected to Kim, surprising him as it drew the necessary materials for the drone. The experience of merging with the pool was unsettling for Kim, differing greatly from his prior experiences of birthing an egg or excreting void essence.
Chip informed Kim the process would take a full day, time Kim decided to use by exploring nearby, though cautiously to avoid venturing too far. The familiarity of the sun and moon in this alien dimension struck him, yet the absence of life on his side of the river remained a mystery.
Kim found solace in discovering ripe berries, a sweet departure from his usual diet. Experimenting with other potential food sources, he tried gnawing at tree bark, finding it tough and unrewarding compared to the berries or the Gloomwing.
Returning to his cave by dusk, Kim ensured he wasn't followed. The next day, he questioned Chip about the Brood pool's slow progress.
"The Small Brood Pool lacked sufficient energy, and much of the Gloomwing's nutrition was used in building its profile. This is only a small Brood Pool; an advanced one would be faster and capable of more simultaneous productions," Chip explained in a synthetic tone.
Witnessing the birth of his first drone, Kim saw the Small Brood Pool release a small egg that hatched into a scythe drone. The drone rapidly consumed its eggshell and grew, eventually emerging from the pool to meet Kim's gaze with a lifeless eye.