BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM

1153  A gift (2)

Erik paused. He wished it could work like for the Chimaeric Demons' brain crystal powers, but that was a perk they got because their brain crystal was a peculiar one. It was most likely impossible for humans to replicate that.

Of course, that came with its downsides, because while they could use powers more, if they didn't sufficiently train them, they would end mana quickly, and having that many powers meant it was hard to bring them all to a good number of neural links.

"Third, you can strengthen your bodies by making new neural links, but you know this already."

The three women listened with a mix of excitement and worry on their faces. Mira's eyes got big when Erik talked about DNA changes. Emily thought about how this might affect her ability to fight. Amber observed Erik, interested in the idea of getting new powers.

"The initial ones will be easy to do as always, meaning you might have a way to get strong enough to not be devoured by any random insect thaid on Mur. However, rapid and extensive DNA changes from creating new neural links could transform you into something monstrous. That's why the biological supercomputer severely limited my ability to grow stronger through them. You should allow time for your DNA to stabilize before making new ones."

He paused.

"Fourth, and last. I can give you some powerful abilities of mine. They are all highly ranked, but if you want something specific I do not have, you can just tell me."

"What powers can you share with us?" Amber asked. Her eyes were full of interest. After all, it wasn't common to pick a new brain crystal power and have rather powerful and high-leveled ones as starting ones. She knew how powerful Erik was, and it was all thanks to those powers.

"Can you tell us about the abilities you might give us?" She leaned closer. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Sure."

Erik took a deep breath. "First off, there's Chimaeric Demon. You know this already: I can create clones of myself—permanent, with the same memories, skills, and abilities as me at the time I made them. They come from eggs, and while they take weeks to hatch and mature, once they're fully grown, they're my equal in every way. They're... well, they're invaluable."

He glanced at the three women. "Then there's Instability. This lets me mess with creatures' emotions—make them feel whatever I want them to, or even read their thoughts. Subtle, but when used right, it can dismantle someone's mental defenses before they even realize it, and it's great to get information from people, willing or not."

He held up his hand, conjuring a small vine that twisted around his fingers. "This is Verdant Architect, a new acquisition of mine I got from my birth brain crystal power after some mergings. It gives me complete control over plants. I can grow, shape, and even strengthen them to withstand the toughest forces. Thanks to Restro's brain crystal power, I can now alter their molecular structure—make them as hard as metal or as flexible as water. I can create botanical defenses, weapons, and even blend plants with elemental forces. It's versatile, and, in the right hands... deadly."

Erik paused, his gaze sharpening. "Will of the Hydra. This one I got it from Uncle Benjamin. This ability's more mental than physical. I can split my mind and create parallel consciousnesses. Every time I 'grow a new head,' I get faster, sharper, and more perceptive. But there's a risk; lose control, and I could lose myself in the split. Still, it gives me a cognitive edge."

He began listing off his remaining powers with a hint of reluctance. "Phantom Veil—I can make myself invisible and create illusions, even mimic the surrounding environment, and confuse anyone nearby. Telekinesis lets me lift, throw, or shield myself with anything I can see, though heavier and faster objects drain more mana. With Beastwalker, I can shapeshift into any animal I choose, which has its own advantages."

He smirked slightly. "Then there's Time Freeze. It lets me slow down or even stop time for a short while, though the mana cost is astronomical. Warp lets me alter distances or shift objects and even myself and other people, depending on the mana I put in. It's a great way to get out—or into—danger fast, and it has a lot of fighting potential."

Erik's voice grew more intense. "Then something I got from Monica, Rejuvenating Touch. It allows me to heal any injury and even regenerate limbs if I have the time and mana. And Tower Bastion—an armor I can summon that adapts to threats, bolstering my strength and agility, even shielding me with force fields. It also comes with the ability to create energy shields and create concussive shocks I can use to hit harder or move faster."

"This looks similar too."

"To Nathaniel's powers... Yes, because it was a power resulting from merging his power with others."

"Right… I forgot you killed him," Amber said.

"In self-defense, there are differences between killing in self-defense and murder."

"Yes."

Erik sighed. "The last one is Elemental Lord, which lets me control fire, water, earth, air, and lightning. I can even blend elements to create weapons or change the temperature to an extreme. It's... powerful."

He crossed his arms, a flash of defiance in his gaze. "But as powerful as all of these are, I'm not giving up Chimaeric Demon, Instability, Verdant Architect, or Will of the Hydra. They're not just brain crystal powers—they're part of who I am. The rest... they're strong, but they're... I wouldn't say secondary, but it won't pain me to give them up as much as those I listed. These four, I can't give them to you."

There was silence.

"I want you to consider your options carefully. We could always ask the Chimaeric Demons to search for powers that might better suit your needs, but that would take time. In alternative, you can choose one of mine, which I strongly recommend. The choice is yours, but think it through."