Chapter 1102: Too Many Risks, Too Many Rewards

Chapter 1102: Too Many Risks, Too Many Rewards



Replicus had made his decision to choose Hybrid evolutions over the pure Penetrator series without much hesitation. As much as he liked the Penetrator series, he had seen that it didn't have much in the way of variety and once the guidance field presented to him that it was rather average when compared to other racial series, he quickly decided to do away with it.

The fact that few Penetrators ever reached the peak of the Null Verse also made his decision much easier.

If there were greener pastures, who was he to stroll past them and choose a more treacherous path instead?

When reading the long list of evolutionary paths, Replicus and his phantoms felt a series of deeply varying emotions.

It seemed the Null Verse was a rather messed up place.

All the species presented to him were either predators or world ending catastrophes. With the current state that Aigas was in right now, Replicus had no doubt that the Astral Draught Kestrel, for instance, could wipe out Feinheath and Opungale before the Heralds could slow it down. Worse yet, they might not even be able to do that as the Kestrel was said to be capable of attacking from a vast distance - a light year away, to be exact. It could attack from the dark void with its feathers.

Speaking of the Kestrel...

"I think this is actually a viable option," Replicus said to himself and Serenity gazed at him curiously, wondering about why he thought this. "I suppose the Kestrel is allowed to live and pillage as it pleases because there aren't any Rules protecting worlds in the Null Verse?"

Serenity let out a sigh.

"Yes. That's right. That is not a common practice in the Null Verse. Most worlds don't have Deities governing them. They form on their own," she said.

Replicus nodded.

He wanted to know more about the mechanics of the Null Verse, but he didn't have that luxury. Not yet. He could ask all about that later.

"If it wasn't that hard to invade worlds, I would probably have considered the Kestrel more closely. It should be able to travel outside worlds easily with its bird form. It even has knowledge of runes on top of its affinity to winds and its feathers."

The part about the Kestrel learning about Runes from an Elder Penetration Sage intrigued Replicus. He had once been offered to evolve into something similar during his second evolution, but had decided against it because he wouldn't be able to use skills anymore. The Kestrel, on the other hand didn't have such a limitation. If not for its Flaw...

(A/N: Refer to Ch.489).

Replicus clicked his tongue and moved on.

'These collusions between Null Life creatures are interesting.'

The Timeless Adamantine 'Prodigy' Beetle also caught his attention, much more than the Kestrel, in fact.

The fact that each attack it received actually changed its physical form and gave it attributes that countered said attacks, was terrifying. From how it sounded, it immediately mastered the elements of the attack and the skill of the attacker too!

'I can just imagine being able to master the Herald's powers just by being struck by them once. That dark fire breath, the effects of the Rules... This is similar to what a combination of my [Nullmancer's Royal Raiment of Acclimation] and [Epiphany] can accomplish over time...' the Penetrator thought with sparking sockets.

On top of this, the Beetle had the physical attributes to back its supernatural ability to copy other powers. Apparently, an unlimited amount of bacteria that rapidly grew into miniature versions of the Bettle would be born inside it, and each one produced raised its strength! There was no limit!

'If only these bastards didn't come back to try and kill me. Since they take on a new form after every attack, I might not even recognise them when they come for me. They could even work together to do this,' Replicus thought, but with the interference of his phantoms he slowly started to consider countermeasures to the Adamantine Beetle's Flaw.

"This might not be that bad, actually. Serenity, are the Beetles produced by the original born with the original Bettle's class too?"

Serenity folded her arms.

"I'm not too sure, but I doubt it. A class has to be chosen. That's how it works in the Null Verse," she said.

a cold chill creeped up his spine. He imagined some vague powerful figure kicking away his weapon... and triumphing against him immediately.

On top of this, he would also die if he allowed the source of his Ju`wtte to be destroyed, whatever that meant.

All these stipulations brought Replicus to a halt. He moved on.

"Here's another thing I probably don't even want to give a second thought," he said.

The Looming Soft Spawn was not even an option in the eyes of the Penetrator. Between it and

the Marionette, he would rather go with the latter.

Choosing a race that couldn't fight Undeath or Voided Death Essence was the dumbest thing

he could do.

Or was it?

When he thought about it...

'Could my soul getting empowered a thousand fold potentially free me from Somanda's grip?

Or if that isn't enough, could devouring millions of other souls make the half soul that I have whole and therefore get rid of the need to acquire the other part? That way, I wouldn't need to

interact with Undead at all,' the Penetrator thought.

But...

'No,' he steeled himself. 'That wouldn't be fulfilling. I want to be whole and I want to do it in the way I've been wanting to do it from the beginning. By fleshing Somanda up.'

Replicus then considered the last option.

"Hey Serenity," he said as he read. "If these... Canon Men, were this powerful, who stopped them after they managed to escape the Null Verse? Was it you alone?"

Serenity couldn't show it, but a grimace showed on her face. This was one of the greatest

blemishes to her name, but she was thankful that it hadn't ended up causing too much

trouble.

Right when she set to speak...

'If you so much as mention HIS name, I swear I will kill you, Serenity!'

A voice blared in Serenity's head.

She shook slightly but remained composed.

'Don't worry, Wyrrim. I'm not stupid, and neither am I that bold. I wouldn't compromise your

safety or mine in such a way,' she reassured.