---
> "...You have the light too?"
That voice wasn't heard through ears. It entered my mind—clean, calm, and terrifyingly clear.
And no, I wasn't hallucinating. I may have become a worm, but I haven't lost all my sanity. Yet.
The thing floating ahead of me looked like... a spirit. Or a will-o'-the-wisp made of fog and starlight. It pulsed with a dim glow, translucent and oddly elegant—like if a jellyfish learned to speak philosophy.
> [Unknown Entity Detected.]
[Level: ???]
[Status: Neutral – Observing.]
[Affinity: Light Energy – Resonant with Seed of Lumina.]
> "Cool. Floating ghost jellyfish. Totally normal for Tuesday."
---
The entity hovered two meters away from me. (Yes, I now measure things. I'm evolving, remember?)
Then the voice echoed again, soft as moonlight:
> "You... are not like the others."
> "Thanks? Unless you mean worse—in that case, I totally agree."
It didn't respond with sass. Just floated closer.
> "Your seed has not yet awakened. But it remembers mine. Light remembers itself."
> "Okay, that sounds deep, poetic, and entirely unhelpful. Can you translate that into 'larva language'?"
---
Suddenly, the Seed of Lumina inside me pulsed.
Warm. No—hot.
It wasn't painful, but it demanded attention. Like something inside me recognized this ghost-thing and decided now was the time to turn on the microwave.
> [Seed of Lumina: Resonance Triggered.]
[Partial Synchronization: In Progress...]
[Basic Access Unlocked – Magic Thread: Lumen Weave Lv. 1]
[Memory Fragment Unsealed: 1/7]
> "Whoa whoa WHOA. I haven't even eaten breakfast yet—don't go opening magical save files on me!"
Knowledge flooded into me—not like reading a book, more like swallowing one and hoping it digests.
I suddenly knew things.
About light. About how energy flowed through this world like threads—subtle, invisible, but alive. And I could now pull on them.
> "Okay... it's not a fireball spell, but it's something."
> [Skill Acquired: Lumen Weave – Lv. 1]
[Effect: Manipulate ambient energy threads. Utility class. Non-combat.]
> "A utility spell? Great. I'm a glowing earthworm who can now thread magical embroidery."
---
The entity "smiled"—or gave off the vibe of a smile. Hard to say when it has no face.
> "Light does not only destroy. It weaves. It restores what is broken."
> "Right. So you're like a cosmic grandma who knits destiny with sunlight. I respect that."
For a brief moment, we just... sat. Well, I oozed. It floated.
It was the first time since my rebirth that I didn't feel utterly alone.
Even if I still looked like the rejected version of a Pokémon evolution, I felt connected. Seen.
And of course, because this is my life, peace never lasts.
> [Warning: Energy Disturbance Detected in Nearby Zone.]
[New Entity Manifesting: Fragment of Umbra – Class: Dimensional Corruption]
> "And there it is. Plot twist incoming."
---
In the distance, something shifted.
Not the sky. The air. The very vibe of reality.
A shadow—like a sentient fog—began leaking from cracks in the ground. The glowing mushrooms dimmed. The world held its breath.
The Seed inside me shivered.
> "Hey, glowy jellyfish mentor... can you fight?"
> "I cannot enter the shadow zone. But your seed... will guide you."
> "Of course. OF COURSE. Why would anything be easy?"
I turned toward the creeping corruption.
Still a worm. Still gross.
But now? I was a worm with light.
And maybe... that was enough to try.
> "Alright, darkness. Let's see what you got. But don't be surprised if I melt you with holy slime."
---
To be continued…