Chương 56: Chapter Fifty Five

Bob slammed the 'Allow birth of Bound Planar entity' button almost without thinking. His subconscious taking over as soon as it was presented with what looked to be the perfect solution to all his current problems. Unwilling to lose the opportunity to keep both his Skill Slots and his octopus-shaped friend by waiting too long to make a choice. Realizing only moments later that he had no idea what it meant to 'bind' a 'Planar entity' to himself.

And that the last time he'd meddled with the dimensional magics involved in his expanded space, he'd blown his boxy body into teeny, tiny, pieces. It was far too late for regrets, however. With Bob feeling an instant connection start to form between himself and the previously testing energies now intermingling with his own. What he was slowly coming to believe might well be the octopus's 'soul'.

Were it not for the ramifications of his latest Class choice, he would have described the sensations that followed as being beyond anything he had ever before experienced. As it was, it was still unlike anything he had ever before experienced. Feeling almost as though there was another part of him slowly being brought into existence. One with its own thoughts and feelings, and whose actions he could only suggest, rather than command; but which was still bound to him at an immensely deep level.

Their goals, ambitions, and intentions forever intertwined. Had Bob previously been made aware that this would be the outcome of his choice, he would never have taken it. The idea would have felt beyond violating. Even trying to conceive of such a connection being utterly alien to the mundane human mind. In the midst of it however, he found his reaction to be near the opposite.

Perhaps it was all the time he'd been forced to spend alone in this nonsense universe, or even the less-than-pleasant circumstances surrounding the end of his life in the previous. But when he sensed the octopus's stuttering thoughts rub up against his own, all he could feel was a sense of gratitude. Gratitude to have something in his life again. Something that wouldn't betray him, or lie to him, or require him to spam a Skill every five or so minutes to prevent it from tearing his wooden body into kindling.

And, as he felt the cocoon begin to dissolve itself within him, he couldn't help but be pleased to note that this other part of him awoke feeling similarly happy. A mildly puzzled thought reaching out to gently glance against his mind.

'Friend?'

'Hey bud, welcome back.' Ding! A new entity has been birthed in your (miniscule) Dimensional Plane! Bound Planar Entity (1/1) Lesser Planar Octopus (D) Level: 1 Ding! You have gained (1) Title! Ding! You have gained (2) New Classes! Bob grinned as he felt the connection fully settle without any issue. Celebrating what felt like an undiluted win as he tried to decide what to do first. Open his 'lid' and allow the freshly evolved creature to leave the space within him, or open up the surprise bounty of system alerts.

Which, of course, is when he suddenly felt his body spasm. Ding! You have acquired your first monstrous minion! Alert!' Thousand-Foot Mimic (E)' is of lower Species Ranking than acquired minion. Alert!' Thousand-Foot Mimic (E)' is not of the same Species Type as acquired minion Alert!' Thousand-Foot Mimic (E)' is not of a Species Type that creates or acquires minions The System is seeking a solution. Bob could feel his companion beginning to panic inside him, but could do nothing to comfort the creature.

Focused instead on the horrifying sensations running through his body. It feeling as though countless eyes and fingers were prodding and staring at every atom of his creation. Pulling him apart piece by piece in an attempt to understand his inner workings. To understand why it didn't understand what he'd somehow managed to accomplish. It was a kind of pain previously unknown to him. And one which shifted his view of the world in the same way he imagined seeing a new color might.

His understanding of his own being irreparably altered and expanded on as he lived through the system's exploration of his form. And then, in the span of an endless few moments, it was done. Ding! Potential solution found! Ding! Requirements met waived for sub-evolution! Sub-evolutions are circumstance-based upgrades which can sometimes be denoted upon a monster of a certain Species Type. Most frequently after the death of the previous holder of said sub-evolution.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Ding! You have been offered the sub-evolution: ' Pack Leader (E)' Pack Leader (E) + 1 Strength per level + 1 Constitution per level + 1 Intelligence per level Evolve? Yes /No (Warning! Refusal to evolve may result in subject's annihilation.) Bob simply blinked at the message for a moment; mind pulled between the horrific marvel that was the previous experience and trying to wordlessly comfort the panicking creature still locked inside him. Eventually however, the very serious threat at the bottom of the page finally made it through to his conscious mind. Resulting in him quickly smashing the 'yes' button while he prayed there wasn't some secret timer located just outside his range of vision. Ding! Congratulations!

You have evolved into a ' Thousand-foot Mimic Pack Leader (E)' + 16 Strength + 16 Constitution + 16 Intelligence To Bob's relief the 'sub-evolution' felt more like gaining a level than raising a Species Rank. A mild numbness coming over him as he felt the attribute increase rush through his body, but no sudden-onset coma he didn't have time to prepare for. He could feel the octopus's desire to be released in the back of his head, but he temporarily held off.

Not wanting to accidently bite the creature in two should the system have another seizure in store for him. Something which seemed like clever thinking when he was almost immediately interrupted by another series of system alerts. At least, until he saw what they actually contained. Ding! (2) Skills have met their requirements for evolution!' Lesser Crushing Tongue (E)' Has reached Maximum Level!'

Lesser Crushing Tongue (E)' Can be Evolved' Toothless Grasp (E)' Has reached Maximum Level' Toothless Grasp (E)' Can be Evolved Bob stared at the long-desired evolution messages in utter bewilderment. Ignoring the increasingly irritated demands from his occupant as he waited for the next shoe to drop. Trained by now to expect rewards to be paired with equal amounts of disaster. Only for it to never come.

The system alerts vanishing from his view when he didn't engage with them and no further messages taking their place. The waters around him silent and still.

'Friend?'

'Just one more sec bud, let me make sure everything's on the up and up.' Bob quickly opened up his status screen. Finding, after doing so, that he wasn't actually sure where to start. Or what exactly he was looking for. Not being certain how he'd qualified to have a 'Bound Planar creature' in the first place, much less why the octopus had evolved to be one. He assumed it must have something to do with the 'sapient' half of his ancestry however, given what a shit-fit his monster side had thrown over the acquisition.

He wasn't sure whether to be relived or terrified when he finally noticed that his status page had a new tab added to it. One his mind almost hesitantly 'clicked'. Subjugated Dimensional Plane (Unnamed) Size: 324 cubic feet Occupants: 1 Bound Planar entities: 1 Daily Mana Consumption: 0 Daily Mana Creation: 0. 036497 (Mana-resonant metals) Total Mana Stored: 0. 531828 He simply stared at the page for a moment. The text seeming to say an immense amount while also explaining nothing.

Given it was the only option he saw available, he eventually 'clicked' the number next to 'Occupants'. Not feeling terribly surprised by what came up. Occupants (1) Unnamed Bound ' Planar Octopus (D)' Level: 1 The entry reminded him of his pledge to name the creature now bound to him, but little else. Bob already being well aware of the octopus currently in his guts, what with its continued grumbling. Eventually he decided to open up the full alert pages for the Title and new Classes he'd gained.

Hoping that they would be able to in some way shed light on things. Ding! New Title Earned! Title: Lesser Planar Lord (B) To create one's own stable dimensional plane is the dream of all who meddle in Dimensional Magics. You, have succeeded. Feat: When in your personal dimension, all Dimensional Path Skills are greatly empowered. Ding! New Class Available! Class: Monster Tamer Rank: B The Great Enemy's creations are many, varied, and often extremely powerful.

What better way to fight back, then to turn its own tools against it? Class Focus Monster Taming Attributes Willpower, Constitution, Strength Requirements Met Willpower: 100, Successfully bind a monster to your control Ding! New Class Available!

Class: (Over-tiered) Rank: Tier 5 Class Focus (Over-tiered) Attributes (Over-tiered) Requirements Met Command your own subjugated Dimensional Plane As Bob stared at the messages in front of him, he realized that while they didn't actually help to explain what was going on, they did do one thing. And that was make it clear that having your own personal pocket dimension was apparently a Much Bigger Deal than he had previously thought.

Not that he could really blame himself for being surprised, considering that he had apparently accomplished this 'Dream of all who meddle in Dimensional Magics' simply by picking up an F-ranked Trait so he could hold more gold. Though why it didn't award him with the title right then, he couldn't say.

'Friend!' The tone of his companion's mental 'voice' was beginning to stray from 'irritated' to 'downright upset'. Something Bob supposed was fair, considering it could tell he was now simply re-reading the same messages over and over again; no new clues or information apparently forthcoming.

'Alright, sorry about that. Let's get you out of there.' Bob exited his status menu, his new Skill Evolutions each sparkling temptingly as he did so, and popped open his 'lid'. Feeling the air inside him whip across his wooden paneling as the creature contained within made a desperate rush for the exit. Which was when he first realized that something might not be right. As soon as the creature passed the threshold of his 'treasure room' Bob was assaulted by the second-hand sensation of drowning.

Not just of drowning, in fact, but of being assaulted by a twisting, tearing, otherness which left him feeling dizzy and nauseous. And which was obviously about to leave his octopod companion in far, far worse state. As soon as it hit the water, the creature began to writhe as though it was covered in thousands of stinging ants.

Bob barely able to get a glimpse of its new form – unchanged in size, but its body now an ethereal, almost glowing shade of white – before he was forced to grab it up with his tongue and shove it back inside his body. The monster's tentacles already beginning to curl up on itself in pain. As soon as he did so, the sensations immediately stopped. Bob feeling both relief and horrified confusion echoing along their link as the octopus tried to understand what had just happened.

Whereas Bob, already having a fairly good idea, simply sat in resigned dejection. Because of course. Of course he would tame a monster, only to have it be physically unable to leave the cupboard-sized space inside his body.

'Friend!? Why Hurt!?' The voice, when it finally came through, sounded like a toddler who'd just stuck a penny in the light socket. Bob honestly feeling a mass of guilt begin to well up within him as he tried to figure out how to explain what his choices may have done to the creature. Though, looking back, he wasn't really sure any of the other options would have turned out much better. Which, really, kinda summed up his whole existence here up to this point.