The Favor and The Deal...

[July 13 {231 CE}]

>>Short Recap<<

"... Fine... but just to be clear when you say 'Fine details' you need help with... what exactly do you mean...?"

...

『"...Life"』

...

Help create life... in what way did this old lizard think I could help with that again?

...

wait...

Don't tell me...

...

My whole being darkened, my mind thinking of the worst possible scenario.

"L-listen you old lizard..., I-I'm... u-umm... you're not bad looking I give you that... but you're not exactly my type-" I stuttered nervously.

『"I will stop you right there! Whatever it is you're thinking about, that's not it!"』Veldanava panicked-ly yelled.

I stopped, dumbfounded- but also relieved.

"Oh... Oh! Pah~, Of course, I knew that wasn't what you meant..." I shrugged, rubbing the back of my head with one of my limbs, embarrassed.

"...then what did you mean by helping create life...?"

『"... Your skill... I need you to use it and assist me in creating the foundations of a balanced ecosystem, the reason I waited for you to awaken... -I can't just create life willy-nilly without considering the balance, so I needed the essential bottom feeders- N-not in a bad way of course... what I need are decomposers and pollinators; insects."』

I stared at him, pondering.

'I mean sure, I'd gladly help, not like I have any particular goal in this life other than maybe be happy...' I thought as I looked back to my status panel.

...

___________________

[Existence Value: 300,000 {Calamity Class} {Special A-Rank}]

Name: Lilith (Vita Manalmon) 

Race: 『Void Beast {Class: Insect}』(Larval stage) 

Title: 『First Reincarnator』 『First Born Of The Void』

Virtue: {Hope}

Sin: None

Magic: None 

─┉┈◈◉◈┈┉─┉┈◈◉◈┈┉─┉┈◈◉◈┈┉─

Abilities: Unique Skill: 『Devour』 Unique Skill: 『Ageless』 Unique Skill: 『Oviparous』 

Extra Skill: 『Identify』 Extra Skill: 『Mana Sense』

─┉┈◈◉◈┈┉─┉┈◈◉◈┈┉─┉┈◈◉◈┈┉─

Larva Natural Skill: 『Universal Thread』 『Herculean Strength』 『Thick Skin』 『Chitinous Armor』 『Self Regeneration』 『Molting』

─┉┈◈◉◈┈┉─┉┈◈◉◈┈┉─┉┈◈◉◈┈┉─

Resistances: 『Void Corruption』 『Pain Nullification』 『Cold Resistance』

Physical Attack Resistance: None

[Notice! Individual {Lilith} possesses the makings of the pinnacle of evolution; {Demon Lord's Seed}]

____________________

I scanned my status. Nothing much has changed other than now having a name, and maybe even my danger ranking...

I continued to look as my attention landed on my third unique skill...

Unique Skill: 『Oviparous』...? I used my skill to [Identify] it, curious what the skill entailed.

...

___________________

『Oviparous

 -Allows the user to create and customize eggs according to their liking, in exchange for {Magicules} or {Biomass}. This can be done with or without the presence of a partner. Contains the subskill: {Bestow}』

___________________

I read its contents as I looked over at Veldanava.

He is very much capable of creating life on his own, and I can only think of one thing why he decided to ask for "my" help, being only a {Majin}; Convenience...

Indeed, he can do everything in this world, but it is still easier if you have a helping hand, no matter how small or big of a help.

"I see what it is you need of me... but what's in it for me?" I asked, my words firm.

I am no longer human... and to me, that's okay. I am not as averted to the thought of laying eggs. It might be my monster side influencing me, but I didn't care. I have been reborn- thus I have come to accept what I have become... because if I don't, then who else will accept- me?

...

『"I can grant you..."』He said seriously, dragging his words along.

I waited in anticipation. Eagerly waiting for the bone to be thrown my way.

『"...To be honest, I didn't think of that..."』

"..."

*Sigh*

I don't know why I even asked anything from this old lizard...

I stared at him, somewhat annoyed.

"What? Did you expect that I would just help you for free...?" I pretended to be angry, my maws creating a gritting sound as I opened and closed them.

'In all honesty, I had somewhat expected this... he... hehe... hehehe~ I can already smell the sweet sweet smell of rewards~ Should I rip him off? I wonder what I should ask for~' I recalled my status panel from before, figuring out what would be useful. 

Hmm... I already possess a demon lord's seed, I am in no rush to awaken that since I only need to feed it 10,000 souls to awaken it... If I compare my EV to Rimuru, I may be on par or maybe even surpass him... though my battle potential and skill arsenal leave much to be desired; I'm useless...

...My main battle and support skill would be 『Universal Thread』...

『Ageless』 is more of a passive buff, and 『Devour』 although similar to Rimuru's {Predator}, does not have the computing capabilities of {Great Sage} to make its subskill {Analysis} useful enough to be of use, nor does it have the qualities for me to retrieve the things I eat, since I'm limited by my racial characteristics... - I can't eat things whole and retrieve it as it was like Rimuru...

I could always ask for something similar to great sage, but I think it would be such a waste of the favor to ask for more...

I want an {Ultimate Skill}...

I looked at the black-haired young man opposite to me.

"Are you capable of upgrading skills into their {Ultimate} counterparts...?" I asked.

『"You mean you want me to {Gift} you an ultimate skill?"』 Veldanava prodded, tilting his head.

"No... I don't want you to impart or {Gift} an ultimate skill that would require the creation of a soul corridor. It's not something I would want in my soul..." I said plainly. Getting a {Gift} would need a connection between the soul of the receiver and the one who gave it.

Frankly, it sounds a lot like being leashed.

"I just want to know if you can upgrade an already existing skill..." I asked again.

『"Well... I don't think I've tried that yet?"』 He replied, rubbing his chin.

『"Hmm... your composition might be troublesome though... You are a {Spiritual Being} no doubt about that since you have a soul as its core, a necessary component for housing an ultimate skill... but you are also a {Void Beast} a living manifestation of nothingness... and I don't know how it would affect you..."』

『"In simple terms, since you are the manifestation of {Nothingness}, to mortals and the majority of the creatures, you are like an invisible entity... The only ones that might be able to see you are those proficient in space-time manipulation and maybe Catastrophe Class..."』

...

'So I'm living life in stealth mode...?' My face darkened. Indeed, I'm not fond of social interactions and people, but it's not like I want to be invisible and be ignored for eternity...

...

A few moments passed in silence...

Currently, in a state of shock, I steeled my resolve. It wasn't like it was within my control. I was born as such and in turn shall be. If push comes to shove, I'll just be buddy-buddy with the creatures with the potential to see me...

I looked at Veldanava once more. He was just staying silent as he waited for me to digest the previous information and waited for my short existential crisis to die down...

"It doesn't matter... I still want the 'upgrade' in exchange for our deal..."

『"Very well..."』He said nonchalantly as he handed me a white- ball...?

I took it upon myself and took it in my grasp, holding the "ball" with all three pairs of limbs, afraid it might fall and explode like a bomb...

"What's this?" I asked, playing with it in my hand, rolling it around to get a better look.

『"It's a seed! When you absorb that seed, it should upgrade the skill that you want to upgrade... It has my {Magicules} so you don't have to feed it your reserves."』

I nodded tentatively...

I brought it in front of my maw and I swallowed it whole. It was the size of an apple, but I figured it should be easy to do because of my size...

It felt warm...

Out of nowhere...

[[Notice! Individual {Lilith} is attempting to upgrade Intrinsic Skill 『Universal Thread』. Execute? ]]

[Yes] [No]

A few meters away, Veldanava stood silently, watching.

'An Intrinsic Skill, huh? Interesting~' Veldanava thought.

...

"Yes... Begin the upgrade..." I muttered, nervous.

...

[[Initiating upgrade process...]]

[[Notice! ERROR! Upgrade Failed...]]

...

[[Re-executing...]]

...

[[Upgrade Failed...]]

...

The strings of notifications kept on repeating in the background...

I sighed... disappointed. Things are looking bad right now...

...

Out of nowhere, a voice... 

I looked around, thinking it might've been Veldanava, but he was just standing a few meters away, his eyes closed.

*whisper~* *whisper~*

It whispered something to me... It was telling me to do something... I don't know where this voice was coming from... it sounded meek and quiet, warm and steady; like a mother's gentle whisper...

It said something about "『Devour』" .... and "key"...?

I looked back at the strings of notification reporting failures...

Then I willed it... I did what the voice told me, I listened to its words like a ray of {Hope}, clinging to it...

[[NOTICE! Sacrificing Unique Skill 『Devour』 to Intrinsic Skill 『Universal Thread』. Executing...]]

...

As if rewarding our efforts of the endless strings of failure, new notifications appeared.

[[Notice! Intrinsic Skill 『Universal Thread』 has successfully evolved into Ultimate Skill 『Moirai: Weaver of Fates』]]

Then I felt it in my very soul.

*Snap!*

I felt it. Heard it, like a thread was snapped, forever changing something inside me...

...

Then, there was silence...

...