The cavern's silence weighed heavily, broken only by the faint hum of glowing crystal walls.
She lingered in that stillness, her thoughts racing, the memory of the system's words echoing within her. A soul, divided yet whole again. A system born of her subconscious. And now—something more.
Her awareness trembled with uncertainty. Almost without meaning to, the thought slipped from her.
Status.
The word resonated, and the response came at once.
A glowing panel unfolded in her mind, radiant symbols forming lines of text that seemed carved directly into her soul.
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STATUS
Name: Unknown
Form: Soul trapped within a crystal (palm-sized)
Age: 0
Attributes
Strength — (Locked: sealed by crystal imprisonment)
Agility — (Locked: sealed by crystal imprisonment)
Endurance — (Locked: sealed by crystal imprisonment)
Vitality — (Locked: sealed by crystal imprisonment)
Intelligence — Beyond human limits — learning and comprehension vastly enhanced
Abilities
Conscious Control — Directly command spiritual or physical form. (Locked: sealed by crystal imprisonment)
Energy Manipulation — Absorb, convert, and reshape energy. (Locked: sealed by crystal imprisonment)
True Form Shifting — Gain the permanent ability to assume the true body of any creature after acquiring its DNA. Each unlocked form becomes part of your essence and can be switched to at will. (Locked: sealed by crystal imprisonment)
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Her consciousness stilled.
She had no eyes, yet the panel glowed within her, its words sharp, undeniable.
What… what is this?
The abilities caught her gaze first. Conscious Control. Energy Manipulation. True Form Shifting.
They were absurd. Impossible. They looked like the kind of broken powers one might read about in a fantasy novel, not something real—certainly not something hers.
Her thoughts shook. True Form Shifting? What does that even mean?
She forced her awareness steady and called out, "System, explain this. Why do I have something like this?"
A soft chime answered.
Ding.
"These abilities are not foreign gifts," the system replied, calm, mechanical, certain. "They are your own innate potential—unlocked the moment you merged with me. I simply record and make them visible to you."
Her soul trembled. "…Innate? You're telling me this power was always part of me?"
"Correct. The soul is vast but fragmented. By merging with me, a portion of that dormant potential has awakened. Still, most remains sealed until you grow strong enough to wield it."
Silence pressed in after the words.
She tried to process. On one hand, it felt impossible. She had always thought of herself as ordinary, a curious girl chasing impossible ideas late into the night. On the other hand, she was already proof that the impossible was real. She had died, yet lived.
Her awareness drifted back to the glowing text. Almost everything was sealed, locked away. Only Intelligence shone as something active, "beyond human limits."
A faint laugh echoed in her thoughts—dry, strained. So I have absurdly overpowered abilities… but almost all are locked. Figures.
Her focus hardened again. "…System, how do I get out of this crystal? I heard someone fighting… and the roar of a monster."
Ding.
"Do you want me to analyze the crystal you are trapped in? Yes or no."
Her awareness steadied, hope sparking. "Yes."
Ding.
"Analysis complete. Escape is impossible due to your current condition."
Her consciousness wavered. The words fell like chains.
"…Impossible?"
"Correct. You are sealed. The crystal binds you. Escape is not possible."
Her mind dimmed, shadows threatening to close in again.
But the voice did not end there.
"However, there is an alternative solution. Do you want to hear it?"
The faint spark of hope flared again. "Yes. Tell me."
Ding.
"The alternative is to merge fully with the crystal. The crystal will act as your physical body. You may customize or reshape it using True Form Shifting. All abilities currently sealed by the crystal will activate normally."
Her awareness jolted. "…The crystal itself can act as my body?"
"Yes. Once you merge, the crystal becomes your vessel. Furthermore, with True Form Shifting, you may acquire the body of any creature by absorbing its DNA. Each acquired form becomes permanent and can be switched at will."
Her thoughts twisted. "…DNA? Any creature?"
"Correct. True Form Shifting has no further limitations. You may become anything and inherit that race's physical traits and abilities. For example, acquiring dragon DNA grants a dragon's body—with its mana-filled heart, durability on par with true dragons, and dragon breath. Exceptions exist only for abilities tied to mentality. For example, you cannot perform dragon magic without the knowledge of how it works."
Her soul shivered. The scale of it was staggering. To become anything, inherit anything…
Silence pressed in. She thought of the clash of weapons echoing earlier, the roar that shook the cavern walls. If she stayed here, waiting for someone to free her, it might take days. Months. Years. Or never.
But if she merged with the crystal, she could move forward. She could seize her fate with her own hands—if she ever gained hands again.
The choice was not easy. It was terrifying. But the alternative was worse.
Finally, she resolved. "…System. How do I merge with the crystal?"
"Host, it is simple. Just answer this prompt: Do you want to merge with the crystal? Yes or no."
Her answer came without hesitation. "Yes."
A sudden vibration shook through her soul. The crystal around her began to hum, low and resonant, like the heartbeat of some ancient giant. Light bloomed from within, washing across the cavern, bright and cold.
Her awareness stretched outward. She felt herself sinking into the lattice of the crystal, merging thread by thread. Each fracture became hers. Each vein of light, each edge, every shimmer—hers.
Ding.
"Synchronization beginning. Merging soul with vessel."
The hum deepened. Her awareness expanded, filling every inch of the crystal until there was no boundary between them.
Ding.
"Merge complete. Crystal vessel established as Host's physical body successfully."
Another chime followed.
Ding.
"The abilities locked by the crystal have been successfully unlocked."
The system's voice rang out, calm and final.
"Host, you have successfully merged with the crystal."
Her being pulsed, humming with a new rhythm. She was no longer a soul trapped within, no longer a prisoner. The crystal itself was her body now—unyielding, hard, unbreakable.
For the first time, she felt strength.
Her thoughts sharpened. Then… what has changed?
She called out, firm. "Status."
The panel bloomed again, but now its words had shifted.
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STATUS
Name: Unknown
Form: Crystal Vessel (soul fully merged)
Age: 0
Attributes
Strength — Dependent on form (Locked until True Form Shifting)
Agility — Dependent on form (Locked until True Form Shifting)
Endurance — Unbreakable
Vitality — Dependent on form (Locked until True Form Shifting)
Intelligence — Beyond human limits — learning and comprehension vastly enhanced
Active Abilities
Conscious Control — Command crystal body or any future True Forms (Unlocked)
Energy Manipulation — Absorb, convert, and reshape energy (Unlocked)
True Form Shifting — Transform crystal vessel into any race or species after acquiring DNA. Each unlocked form becomes a permanent "true form" that can be freely switched at will. (Unlocked, requires DNA)
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