6 First Molting (2)

While molting, there was an irregular rhythm from within System's bloodline, as if telling him to make a choice.

'What to choose?'

System kept thinking while sensing every rhythm in his restless blood, but he discovered no more information.

However, as his body continued molting, that voice gradually became clearer, and System slowly understood the meaning behind that voice.

[Self-Information Generation] had also shown the contents of the voice.

…

[Molting Growth Mode]: A mode that some insects would enter when molting, they would transform according to the strength in their bloodline and could choose an ability to strengthen. A unique mode of [Molting Growth]'s talent.

…

System needed to choose one of his abilities to strengthen. He could strengthen his mandibles, his hind legs, his talents, or derived skills. There were many options to choose from.

As compared to normal grasshoppers, which did not have intelligence and would usually enhance their mandibles, hind legs, wings, or the hardness of their exoskeleton, System had a deeper understanding of this strengthening process.

The first thing System thought was to use that power to strengthen his talent [Molting Growth]. If he could strengthen [Molting Growth] to the maximum, Level 13, System would have the chance of molting a third time.

If he molted a third time, then not to mention listening to the mysterious voice of the world, it would be a great enhancement to his physical capabilities. Even if he faced some insect hunters, like praying mantises, he would most likely have the strength to confront them.

However, System thought of an even more important talent than [Molting Growth], the talent [Digital Code].

System could rarely feel and control [Digital Code], but it was due to such a talent that it was possible to raise his level so fast.

The information of his bloodline from [Molting Growth] allowed System to understand the pattern of how normal grasshoppers matured naturally.

In this world, all living things possessed the concept of levels. Normal grasshoppers also had levels, and their levels would also increase through eating.

However, compared to System's fast speed of raising his levels, it was a slow process for normal grasshoppers to level up.

After normal grasshoppers' EXP bars reached the maximum, they would not immediately level up and slowly raise their level through feeding. Normally, they would take about a day each time they leveled up, and as their levels increased, that period would become longer.

Therefore, no matter how hard-working a normal grasshopper was, even if it continued eating round the clock, it would need five to six days to reach Level 5 and undergo the first molting. Undoubtedly, it could not be like System, who could undergo the first molting in just two days.

Of course, as normal grasshoppers raised their levels slowly, they would not feel extreme hunger after leveling up, like System.

However, such a flaw could not belittle the fact that [Digital Code] was the most peculiar ability with the highest potential.

…

After deciding, System directed that power within his bloodline into that sea of 0s and 1s in his mind.

As the power within his bloodline was transmitted inside, System could finally sense [Digital Code] for the first time. He didn't feel like his mind would explode, just a slight stabbing pain.

In the sea of numbers, System could feel that his mind was like a pure white ball of light and numbers encircled him in a spherical shape—it was like a planet encircling a star.

System was very familiar with the planet composed of numbers because it was the derived skill he had gained after waking up—[Self-Information Generation].

As the power of his bloodline produced by [Molting Growth] was injected within, System realized that the sea of numbers made up of 0s and 1s became vaster and denser.

System also realized that the numbers in the distance surged and formed a new planet made of numbers. That planet was tens of times bigger than the planet of [Self-Information Generation].

That planet found its orbit and started spinning around System slowly. Just as that planet was established, the power in his bloodline suddenly subsided and intense pain struck System.

System's mind exploded in the sea of numbers and he fainted.

…

When System awakened, bright light shone onto him from the gaps of the dead leaf. It had taken the entire night for System to molt.

The post-molting hunger was more intense than after leveling up. It was like he had been starving for quite a few days.

Rustling sounds could be heard as System moved his body and shattered the attached shed skin, revealing the new exoskeleton within.

After molting, his body size had increased from 1.6cm to 2.3cm. The antennae on the top of his head also became longer and more sensitive, while his exoskeleton became sturdier. Furthermore, the limb that the ant had bitten off had regrown.

Also, a pair of wing buds had grown out from System's back, and as he continued growing, he could grasp how to fly.

As compared to the transformation of his physical body, through the strength of [Molting Growth], System's talent [Digital Code] had broken through the upper-level limit and increased.

[Digital Code] (1/1) → [Digital Code] (2/2)

Also, [Digital Code]'s advancement enabled him to obtain a new talent, [Data Storage]. From which, he obtained two derived skills, [Information Entry], and [Information Reading].

…

[Data Storage] (1/2): A special talent obtained through [Digital Code] and [Molting Growth]. A unique talent that is able to record and analyze simple data. A talent exclusive to System.

[Information Entry] (1/1): A derived ability obtained from the talent [Data Storage]. Passive ability. Able to record the things System had come in contact before.

[Information Reading] (1/1): A derived ability obtained from the talent [Data Storage]. An ability that can be activated. Able to summarize and read the information obtained from [Information Entry].

…

These newly obtained abilities were support-types, so System thought they were quite useless at first. However, when he crawled out of the dead leaf on the pine tree, System understood how powerful these skills were.

The effects of [Information Entry] were not very obvious as it would only passively record everything System came in contact with. However, after consuming some of his mental strength to activate [Information Reading], System realized that the whole world in his eyes had changed.

Although it was still very blurry to see things in the distance with his compound eyes, the outline of everything was emitting a faint light. After activating [Information Reading], all the insect hunters hiding in the surroundings were completely revealed.

Not only so, [Information Reading] even contained the information of the plants System had eaten until now. If he had eaten a plant before, then System only needed to look from afar to identify it.

System instantly used [Information Reading] to identify three types of plants nearby that he had eaten before jumping down from the tree branch. He then checked the information on those plants.

Not only were the plants' taste and hardness displayed, but [Information Reading] could also estimate how many leaves of such a plant he would need to eat to reach Level 6.

The weight of the three plants that he needed to eat to level up was 1,028g, 225g, and 78g, respectively.

[Information Reading] was similar to the sci-fi photonic computers in System's previous life, helping humans process and analyze information.

However, the intelligence of System's [Information Reading] was lower. It almost possessed no calculation ability, and as long as he used it for an extended period, System would become tired. He would most likely need to rest after using it continuously for five to six minutes.

Still, such a derived skill was beneficial to System.

System jumped around, searching for the plant, which according to [Information Reading] he only needed to eat 78g to level up. In the process, he easily avoided a praying mantis disguised as a plant's stem.