Chapter 1480: Evolution Trial
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[All Conditions have been met for evolution!]
[You have begun to evolve, breaking the limits of an L+ Rank Entity!]
[Evolution Duration: 12 Hours.]
"Eh?"
When I realized what was happening after beginning my evolution, I found myself inside a house.
"What?"
I looked around, confused, realizing I wasn’t myself anymore.
Or was I?
"I’m..."
I looked at my hands. They were small.
"Why?"
I walked through the house, finding it oddly nostalgic.
Yes, I’ve been here before.
This is my house.
My previous life’s house.
No, my previous, previous life’s house, when I was on Earth.
"I’m a child? Again?"
I looked at myself in the mirror, realizing I was a child.
Is this another Nightmare Realm?
But why am I here...
...
No, wait, I understand now.
I’m evolving into a Nightmare, or something even stronger than that.
So it’s obvious I’d experience something like this.
But what’s the purpose of this?
[Your Evolution has begun.]
[Within the 12 Hours given to you, you must gather Three Fragments of your Memories.]
[These Fragments can be anything, and you can freely move through Memory Worlds born from your Memories.]
[Gather these Three Fragments that most resonate with your own Fears to become their embodiment, a Nightmare.]
[If you don’t gather all Three Fragments within the given time, you will evolve automatically into something weaker.]
[Gathered Memory Fragments: 0/3]
"I see. That makes sense."
This was something that could happen. It didn’t shock or anger me.
At the same time, I think I’ve lost my connection with my Soul Egos.
It feels as if I’ve separated from them completely, but that’s alright.
We share the same mind in the end. I’ll rejoin them once I’m done here.
"Alright then, let’s do this."
If I finish this quickly, I won’t need to wait the full 12 hours!
But now...
"Hmm..."
As I walked through the house, feeling nostalgic, I reached my small room, cramped with clothes strewn on the floor and scattered with toys.
It was a modest house with only two rooms. This little room belonged to me and my big sister.
I must find the fragments of my memories, which will embody my greatest fear.
Then I’ll become a Nightmare, possibly ascending to an even higher realm.
With that power, I should be able to defeat that eldritch thing that tried to kill me before.
"..."
As I gazed at the room, I sighed.
"Well, where do I begin? Is this the right place? My childhood. What made me saddest back then?"
As I reflected, memories of my family surfaced.
Though I was often sad about our poverty, that wasn’t it exactly.
No, my family made me truly happy.
They were the only ones who always loved me...
"...My dad."
I peered through the window, gazing at the empty city below.
"I need to find him..."
I climbed onto the windowsill, looking down.
And I jumped.
...
SPLAT!
My body splattered on the ground, turning into a bloody pulp.
But then it rapidly recovered, returning to normal.
"Whew, that was freaky."
I walked through the city.
Where could my father have gone?
I remember he worked at the factory, but one day he was just gone.
Did he run away from the responsibility of raising a family?
Was it too much for him?
Do I resent him?
Not anymore.
Or perhaps he died?
I can’t uncover the truth because I never learned it.
I tried to shut it out of my mind for so long.
I was afraid to learn what really happened to him.
I wished it was just something that happened, something I could forget.
As I wandered the desolate city, I looked everywhere.
"Well, this’ll take forever. I wonder if I can...?"
<Friendship Points Shop>
[Available Friendship Points]: [42,700]
[Cupid Arrow (A Grade)] [Cost]: [3000]
[Forgiveness Letter (A Grade)] [Cost]: [2500]
[Dream-Visiting Magic Orb (A Grade)] [Cost]: [2200]
[Together Strong Band (B Grade)] [Cost]: [2000]
[Clue-Finding Magnifying Glass (B Grade)] [Cost]: [1800]
[Nightmare Detector (C Grade)] [Cost]: [1500]
[...]
Yes, it works.
For some reason, this is the only system feature that functions here.
[You have purchased [Clue-Finding Magnifying Glass (B Grade)] for 1800 Points.]
I grabbed the magnifying glass and scanned my surroundings.
"Um, how do I... Oh?"
FLASH!
As I looked around, I spotted something far in the distance.
A small, black glow.
"There. Heh, I love cheating."
As I walked, I reshaped my body, sprouting black feathered wings and soaring far away.
While flying, a strange sense of melancholy and nostalgia washed over me.
This entire city was my home. I wonder what’s happened to it since I died.
"It’s here?"
As I stopped flying, I was able to pinpoint where the light came from.
It was the factory.
As I descended...
FLUOSH!
The world around me blurred. For a moment, it felt like it was glitching, shifting.
Silhouettes appeared, slowly forming into people.
"Daddy!"
A little black-haired girl ran through the streets, leaping into the arms of a tall, old man.
"Hey! My little Luna! You came to pick up dad from work?"
He held her tightly, lifting her up with a laugh and a warm hug.
"Yesh! I came with mama."
Her mother trailed behind, greeting her husband.
"Hello, dear. We had some time and were passing by, so we came to see if you were done. Shall we go home together?"
"Sure! Let’s go! Come here, little princess!"
"Yaaay! Hehehe!"
Her father hoisted the girl onto his shoulders piggyback style, and she giggled with joy.
They passed a bakery, one that always smelled so nice, like freshly baked pastries.
But being poor, the girl knew not to ask. She only gazed at the window, longing for the treats she could never have.
"..."
As she looked down, suppressing her hunger, her dad noticed her staring.
"Hmm, I happen to have saved a bit. Should we treat ourselves to a fancy little treat?"
"But dear, we barely..."
"Just this once."
"Hmm!"
The girl nodded, barely containing her excitement.
"Fine."
Her reluctant mother sighed.
"But nothing too expensive, ok?"
"Yaaay!"
"Let’s go!"
As the father and daughter hurried into the bakery, the girl wandered inside, marveling at the delicious pastries.
But they were far too expensive.
"Daddy, is this fine? T-They’re too expensive..."
"Hmm. It’s fine. Pick whatever you want, Luna."
"R-Really?!"
"Yep!"
"T-Then I want that!"
The girl pointed at a small shortcake filled with white cream and strawberries, covered with chocolate.
It was costly, at $17 apiece.
"Is it too expensive?"
"No, dear, I’ll get it for you. Just this once, okay? As your birthday gift."
"Okay! Thank you, daddy!"
The girl happily walked out with her little cake slice neatly packed, while her father carried a small bag of freshly baked bread for the rest of the family.
"Dear, just how much did you spend on all of that?"
His wife was clearly worried.
"Hahah! Don’t worry! It’s alright, it’s alright! Let’s have a nice dinner, shall we? Luna, you better share a bit of that cake, alright?"
"Okay! I’ll share!"
As they walked home, I smiled, a small tear falling from my eyes.
FLASH!
A glass-like fragment emerged from the glitching, illusory space, holding the laughter of that girl and the smile of her father.
[You have obtained a Memory Fragment: 1/3]
"I guess that wasn’t so complicated."
As I sighed, I glanced at the timer.
[Evolution Time Left: 9 Hours, 23 Minutes.]
"What? Does time pass faster here? I have to hurry!"
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