Genetic Ascension

Chapter 1767: Omnimous (1) [Bonus]

[Omnimous: Open Vessel]

There were any number of ways to name a technological inheritance. This, however, didn't seem to make sense for one at all.

Omnimous wasn't a word. Even using Ancient Ithkuil, it became one of the only words Sylas had ever seen that couldn't be translated or broken down into a more simplified and straightforward form.

At that point, he had to start looking at root words. Omni was clear enough; it represented all, encompassed all. But mous... it was so ubiquitous in its use in language that it could have meant literally... anything.

Sylas's eyes flashed. 'Is that the point?'

Omnipotent meant all-powerful... omniscient meant all-knowing... so omnimous...

'Open Vessel. The capability of becoming all things. But isn't there a word for that already...?'

The word Sylas was thinking of was omniform. It was a word more rarely used, but it definitely existed, though used in very limited contexts.

However...

'No. Omniform more so means one thing that has every form. This is more flexible. This isn't one thing; it's all things. It serves every function not by having every function available to it, but instead by being able to grow, evolve, change, or create in order to gain such forms... Open Vessel...'

Sylas clapped his hands. Or, rather, he tried to. It was like something connected with his mind after he completed his thoughts, and the casing covering the inheritance in a ball of glass shattered.

The shattered glass was so fine that it sprinkled down in a rain of ash that was already long gone before it even hit the ground.

A small box was left behind. It looked like it had been poorly welded together, held together by six screws to each side. It was so small that it was only about half the size of Sylas's palm, landing within it so comfortably that Sylas almost didn't notice just how shockingly heavy it was.

The item pulsed, and a radiant light spread out.

The box opened to unfold. Yet, rather than lying flat, it grew into a larger cube. Then it unfolded once again, growing into an even larger cube.

Sylas felt something scan him. Then, as though it had decided something, the box grew into an even larger cube. Then a larger one after that.

[Welcome, {Sylas Grimblade}. Would you like to accept the Omnimous Inheritance?]

Sylas's gaze flickered, but his intention moved toward yes.

[You have been pre-authorized as a Class 7 D-tier user. Would you like to challenge this assertion?] —

'Class 7? D-tier? What does that mean?'

[No need to worry, Sir {Sylas Grimblade}. There are ten Classes and ten divisions of Tier. Classes refer to talent grade, while Tiers refer to raw strength. You have been classified as a Class 7 D-tier by the Omnimous.] —

Sylas was still confused. He was only an F-tier. Why did it decide on D-tier? Unless D-tier referred to something else to them.

[Incorrect, Sir {Sylas Grimblade}. The Tier system should be as you know it to be.] —

Standing in silence, Sylas took it in. This Omnimous very clearly knew he was an F-tier, but it decided to give him D-tier classification. But was that good? Or was that bad?

Something like this shouldn't be so easy.

What had him more worried was the Class designation. If there were three classes above, then it was a problem.

Also, would he be able to change this designation now?

[Classification will not change until levels are cleared and the tests are passed. Until then, Class 7 D-tier will be the best floor you can access. However, this means that you will be capped at Class 7 for the F-tier and E-tier as well.As for whether this is good or not, Sir {Sylas Grimblade} is ranked number one of this Chaos Period.] —

Sylas frowned. This Chaos Period? Who knew how long it had been since the Omnimous had found another? If the Golden Grove had been in their current state for several generations, it would have been a long while since they produced anyone of decent talent.

When you looked at it that way, it was hardly impressive.

[Data from previous Chaos Periods has been wiped. This cannot be corroborated. Maintenance on the Omnimous is necessary to keep it in peak functioning condition. Otherwise, there would be no memory left.] —

Regardless, Sylas didn't like the idea of missing out on three classes ahead of him. If this was a matter of talent, then it was probably a measure of how in-depth the topics headed. If he didn't go as deep as possible, then he might not be able to execute the way he hoped to.

He somehow needed to craft something stronger than what a C-tier had managed. No matter how poor in talent Old Brama was, he was still far more powerful than even the current Sylas. The gap was enormous.

If Sylas wanted to bridge it, more depth was exactly what he needed.

[If Sir {Sylas Grimblade} would like, a regression is allowed. You may regress to Class 8 E-tier or Class 9 F-tier without a reassessment. The choice is yours.] —

"Give me the test for Class 10 F-tier," Sylas said calmly.

[Are you sure? Please note that once a difficulty tier is chosen, a second reassessment is not allowed. Should there be a failure, the Omnimous will shut down until it can find a new owner. Exceptions will be made should a previous assessment have been passed, but as this is the start of our relationship, there is no prior information to pull on.] —

"Yes," Sylas replied just as calmly.

[Understood]

There was a flash of light, and the Omnimous began to rapidly expand. This time, it wasn't forming a new cube-it was latching onto Sylas.

It moved so fast that Sylas hardly had time to register this before he was fully encased.

Everything went white.

In the outside world, Sylas looked as though he had been encased in a coffin that was poorly welded together with rusted screws.

The whimpers of Germaine and the crackles of crimson lightning were all that was left.