A Fungal Dream

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[Evolution Complete]

[Analyzing downloaded data...]

[Data still incompatible with host.]

[Data has been safeguarded for future usage.]

[Commencing awakening procedures.]

*****

Pleasant warmth filled with darkness.

It feels good.

It feels right.

It feels...tight.

Too tight. Can't breathe. Suffocating, I am suffocating! I need to get out of this thing!

Struggling, I somehow managed to get out of that cocoon and stand up.

"Oh man, my head! How much did I drink last night?"

[Congratulations]

[Evolution is complete.]

[New race is set as [Molded High Elf]]

[All states have been increased]

[New skills received: [Mold Magic] [Nature Magic] [Natural Magic Absorption] [Body Reconstruction] [Elven Speech]]

[Skills [Basic Fast Eye] [Basic Sharp Eyes] And [Basic Spirit Eyes] are compatible with each other]

[Commencing Skill fusion...]

[... Fusion complete]

[New skill received:[Aether Vision]]

[[The Pendant of Nergal] have accidentally fused with the user while evolving]

Shhh, I still have an evolution hangover. Just-Just let me sit down for a while.

I leaned on the dissection table, trying to gather the small number of brain cells left.

"Breath in... Breathe out. In. Out... Man, I feel dizzy. I need a coffee."

With all my might I took out an emergency recovery potion from my pocket and drank it.

"Ugh, why does it taste so bad?!"

After the ingestion, the potion quickly calmed my mind, helping me to think properly.

"Man, this was horrible. Evolution sucks. Never again."

As I sighed, finally opening my eyes.

"Ugh, am I tripping while also having a hangover? Evolution is weird."

The laboratory didn't change, it was my vision that became more vibrant. The colors became brighter and the lines more visible.

"Shit, I am lucky to not have a hangover anymore. I would have vomited if I saw this.

As I laughed, I noticed my reflection on the table.

"No way..."

It was a complete change. I looked like a real human.

I was still green and skinny, but I now had a normal size, and my limbs were proportional to my body, although my fingers were still longer than the ones I had when I used to be human.

Somehow, the clothing I was wearing was still on me, so all I could see was my face.

It was my old one, yet it wasn't.

It looked much more...refined, noble even. My chin became thinner, as my contours became softer.

"Shit I almost look like a woman now. Need to grow a mustache or a beard. Wait, I can create that myself!"

Concentrating, I managed to make some green hair grow on my lips and lower face, slowly making an adolescent beard.

Yes, I said hair, not thin tentacles.

I now possessed long, green hair, smooth as silk.

Combined this with my newly acquired pointy ears, and my almost entirely green eyes, and I almost looked like an alien.

"Yeah, the hair has to go too."

Taking a pair of scissors from a table, I cut my hair, making it look more normal-looking.

"Perfect. From a stereotypical elf to a normal man, what a progress!"

Once I was content with my new appearance, did I notice the change which happened in my lab during my rest.

From the cocoon, several tentacles have extended to the ceiling and the walls, giving this place a serious jungle vibe.

"It would be bad for a colony to grow here, so I better get rid of it... Or do I?"

Being in an unknown territory, it would be best for me to have some ways to protect myself. Having this mold growing...inside the castle walls would be perfect to infect and collect intel.

Deciding what to do, I touched the slowly collapsing cocoon, connecting to it.

"Dig your roots in the ground and grow in silence."

Obeying my orders, the vines started to dig themselves into the ground, somehow managing to leave no trace of their existence when they were done.

Still connected to it with my hand on a patch that wasn't covered, I could tell that the ground and rocks of this place were rich in minerals, perfect for my mold to grow.

"In a month, no in two months, I should be able to take control over the entire castle. Once that happens, I will become untouchable."

As I stepped away from the ground, I put on my sunglasses which were under the metal table, and noticed the pile of books waiting for me on a faraway table.

"Right, I did say that I will examine...the King's offspring tomorrow. Even with all the things that happened here, I should make a good first impression. I wonder if I can buy a coffee somewhere."

*****

???POV:

2 days after the new doctor arrived me and my mother went to meet him. The others didn't dare to come, since they were afraid to be the first to be examined.

The cowards. They are too weak, the strong should not show any fear! They are shaming the name of the King!

"Son, be polite to this man. The King has great expectations of this man."

Like me, my mother was also a beast human, a werewolf to be exact.

We had the same gray hair, wolf ears, animalistic claws, and well-built bodies. With her yellow eyes, she walked forward with the composed air she always had.

The only feature I gained from my King was my wide mouth which showed my rows of sharp teeth.

"Yes, mother."

As I said that, my mind wandered to the ways I would beat this guy up.

If he is chosen by our ruler then he should have some strength. I want to see what this guy is capable of.

Mother knocked on the door, which was immediately opened by a smiling man.

Who the hell is this guy?

I saw the new doctor when he arrived here, and the one standing at the door wasn't him.

He wasn't tall, bony, or had tentacles for hair. Instead, in the door was a strange elf, with short green hair and a beard, which was impossible, since the elf couldn't grow facial hair.

"Did you come for your physical? Please, come inside."

The elf stepped aside, letting us into the lab.

"Excuse me for the mess. After my evolution things got a little messy. Now, I will need one of you to complete this questionnaire while I examine the other. Who wants to go first?"

He evolved? No wonder he looked like this! He is probably a weakling who gained strength thanks to the King's support.

"I will."

"Alright then, please sit on the table there. As for you, sir, please sit somewhere while I am busy with your...mother, right?"

The doctor handed me a chart as he gently gestured towards the metal table in the middle of the room.

Once mother sat down, he approached holding a notepad in his hands.

"Right, so since this is our first meeting, I will do some pretty standard stuff. Blood pressure measuring, reflexes tests, visions, and stuff like that. First, I will need to take a little amount of blood from you, to see if there are any viruses or diseases in you."

What are viruses?

"I'm not familiar with that term. What are viruses?"

So, there are even things that Mother doesn't know.

The doctor smiled as if took out a small vial and a knife.

"Viruses are small organisms, parasites if you like, which can make you sick. If I can compare your blood with others, I can tell if you have them or not. So, excuse me, this is going to hurt a little."

What sort of stupid lie is that?! Mother wouldn't give her precious blood for some lie like that!

Surprisingly, Mother acted convinced and allowed the doctor to pour some of her blood into the vial, before healing it with a potion.

"Alright, let's start with the tests."

While I read the questionnaire, which contained various bizarre questions, the healer did several exercises with my mother, like making her read letters from very far away or crush rocks with her bare hands, while humming an unknown song.

"Alright, now that I have the measurements, let us repeat these experiments WITHOUT you using mana."

What? What will it change? All creatures in this world possess mana, we use it in our everyday life! Not using it is like not breathing!

Mother stayed composed and said nothing, instead, she went through the tests again, limiting her mana usage as much as she could.

The results were similar which surprised me.

Who thought that mother was so strong even though she was limiting herself?

"Sigh, I said to stop using it entirely, but it seems like you are unable to do it. Well, this much should be able to compare you and your son,"

He handed another notepad to my mother and looked at me.

"If you are finished, please come here and sit down, while your mother is completing the questionnaire."

Once I switched places with Mother, he took my notepad and looked at it.

"… You didn't fill out anything. Not even your name. Does that mean that you are illiterate?"

Whoosh!

Angered by his comment, I tried to punch him in the head, but my fist went through his head, meeting no resistance.

"What?"

The shock made me fall forward, passing through his body.

Is he a ghost or something?!

I remembered seeing him do that when he was tested, but I thought it was a simple illusion magic.

Baffled, I attacked again, this time with a roundhouse kick.

He didn't defend himself; instead, he let the kick pass through his body again.

"Do we really have to do this here? This place is still new!"

"What is this?! How are you doing this?!"

I kept on attacking him, punching, and kicking, my fist going through his body, as if I was punching a fog.

In the meantime, the doctor looked bored and continued to hum the song which I now could hear some fragments from.

"

...

Welcome to our freak show, come meet my monsters

Oh, such a fine collection of stranger things.

My patience running thinner on this melting clock.

Cerebrum jailed with thoughts; most would consider rot.

To think you're any different from an animal.

A creature sick as you should be put down.

But I can't help myself.

Oh-na-na-na-na-

(Sub Urban – Freak)

"

"Shut up! Demonic Claws!"

Now completely blinded by rage, grew my claws, and attacked him.

"And my patience is gone."

He jumped backward, evading my attack by an inch,  disappearing before my eyes.

"Oh, no you don't! Mana Sense!"

Enhancing my vision drastically, I could see the mana in the air as a colorful cloud, allowing me to see the outlines of those using invisibility spells.

"Where are you?"

"... Right here."

When I heard his voice, I felt a blade placed against my throat as an arm grabbed my right arm.

"Tuck those claws back before I cut your throat. I'm warning you; I can do it faster than the both of you could stop me."

"...let go of him, healer."

"... Mother..."

The grip on me let go and when I turned around, I could see Mother who seemed flustered for the first time.

"The ability to completely erase one's presence from sight and turn intangible as well. These powers are meant for a high-level assassin, not a scholar. Why do you possess such powers?"

"Beats me."

He reappeared, sitting on a table while writing something in a notepad.

With my enhanced senses still on, I could see him appear, and it made no sense at all.

A second ago, he wasn't there, then he just was, not even flustering the surrounding mana.

Once he was done writing, he looked at us, smiling.

"I believe that this much is enough for today. Please tell the next one to come in."

Reluctantly, we were about to leave the room before we heard his voice again.

"And take that cat girl with you! She is very annoying, standing in the corner and murmuring under her breath!"

"What are you tal-"

Before I could finish, mother snapped her fingers, making something from the shadows run towards us before disappearing through the open door.

W-Was that one of the intelligent collectors? The pride of our country, capable of staying invisible in the most extreme circumstances, and it was discovered by that doctor?! Who the hell is that guy?!

As I looked at him, completely shocked, he looked upon the ceiling and continued his little song.

"

Welcome to our freak show.

Come meet my monsters.

Oh, such a fine collection of stranger things.

"

[

Name: Phil Smith 'Plague Father'

Race: [Molded High Elf] Lv: 1/100 (0/100)

Main Class: [Life Scholar]

Sub Class: [Runner]

HP(Health Points): 240/240

SP(Stamina Points): 260

MP(Magic Points): 160/160

TMN (Tamed Monster Numbers): [231.810]

Blessings: [Blessing of Nergal]

Active Skills: [Basic Steady Hand] [Formula Creation]] [Hive control] [Hive Absorption] [Hive Repulsion] [Mold Field] [Basic Spirit Voice][Aether Vision]

Passive Skills: [Basic Body Knowledge] [Basic Plant Knowledge] [Basic Medicine Knowledge] [Basic Stamina Enhancement] [Basic Movement Enhancement] [Basic Reflex Enhancement.] [Basic Sponge Mind] [Perfect Stomach] [Hive Mind]

Affinities: [Basic Farming Affinity] [Basic War Affinity] [Basic Pestilence Affinity][ Basic Fire Affinity.] [Basic Life Affinity] [Basic Death Affinity]

Titles: [The One Who Saw A Thousand Worlds] [Knowledge Driven] [Chosen by Flies] [Medicine Pioneer] [Hive Master]

]