After System pondered over his vague memories of the time he'd spent in the white space, he clicked on the [Data Bank] in the [Tools Menu].

  He wanted to check the recording of his time in the white space for the mysterious sound he'd heard, which he thought had likely been the Voice of the World. However, even though System searched carefully several times, he couldn't find any record of the sound.

  Just as he'd seen in Quin's memories, the Voice of the World was a very vague thing.

  Although he still knew nothing about the Voice of the World, there was some inexplicable information that had appeared in his mind.

  When ordinary life forms reached their limits, they would receive a gift from the world and transform into a magical life form. When a magical life form reached its limit, it would transcend the mundane and become an extraordinary existence.

  This information was a hypothesis compiled by System based on his own understanding, but he thought that it was likely true.

  The strange new information in his mind didn't exist in the form of nguage, but as a mixture of musical notes and mental messages, distant and mysterious, giving him the feeling of listening to music.

  System felt that this information was incomplete, and it seemed like there were still many parts missing, as if there were higher levels of life above extraordinary.

  System himself should exist somewhere between mortal and magic, but there was no further expnation in the information.

  Although it was mentioned that an existence that had been bestowed a gift by the world would transform into a magical life form, there was no clear expnation of how to transform or what one would become after the transformation.

  System could only sense that the special energy floating in the air had become clearer, and that it was easier to absorb the wandering energy.

  'Maybe becoming a magical life form will allow a being to extend its lifespan, just like dragons, vampires, elves, and so on in video games. Unfortunately, I still know too little about this world.'

  No matter what, System had found a way forward. His next step was to work hard to become a magical creature.

  ...

  Gently fiddling with his slender tentacles, System looked around and suddenly noticed that Shava, who had been tortured and disabled by the mouse, wasn't there.

  He gently twitched his antennae. He could sense that Shava seemed to still be alive and wasn't in any mortal danger.

  This kind of induction wasn't System's random guess, but a feeling from his new Special Talent. It was the same talent that had just helped him avoid the soil falling from the cave ceiling.

  Just as Quin had gained the strange [Mental Transmission] ability from the Voice of the World, System had gained his own very strange ability, [Perception], from it as well.

  Then, from his gift of [Perception], he'd gained several powerful Derived Skills—[System's Eye], [Instinct], [Enhanced Hearing], and [Enhanced Sense of Smell].

  He'd been able to avoid the soil falling from the cave ceiling and feel that Shava was still alive by relying on his newly acquired Derived Skill [Instinct].

  ...

  [Perception] (11/26): System's unique gift that was received from an unknown force. Allows him to understand things on a deeper level. System's unique Special Talent.

  [System's Eye] (17/30): A Derived Skill obtained from [Perception], [Digital Code], [Insect Adaptability], [Molting and Growth], [Enhanced Vision], and [Dark Vision]. Vision is greatly improved. System's unique Derived Skill.

  [Instinct] (12/21): A Derived Skill obtained from [Perception], [Insect Adaptability], and [Insect Instinct]. Provides the uncanny ability to perceive changes in the environment unconsciously.

  [Enhanced Hearing] (11/15): A Derived Skill obtained from [Perception]. Hearing is enhanced.

  [Enhanced Sense of Smell] (11/16): A Derived Skill obtained from [Perception]. Sense of smell is enhanced.

  ...

  When System had woken up after his third metamorphosis, there was a change he hadn't noticed. He now realized that, perhaps because of [System's Eye], the cave that had been somewhat dark to him before was now as bright as day.

  His vision was extremely clear, and he could even see the dust particles floating in the air. He could also faintly see the white blood flowing inside the bodies of the ant rvae.

  System shook his slender antennae and carefully felt his body. He found that many of his abilities had increased to varying degrees during his metamorphosis.

  He opened the [Tools Menu] and carefully checked to see how much his body had changed during his third metamorphosis.

  ...

  Race: Green-tailed Grasshopper (Evolved)Title: NoneName: System

  Rank: MetamorphosisLevel: 12/15Lifespan: 1622 daysHealth: 85%EXP: 8%Special Energy: 52%

  Special Talents: [Digital Code] (5/5), [Molting and Growth] (13/13), [Insect Adaptability] (16/21), [Database] (3/5), [Mental Transmission] (8/22), [Data Compition] (3/5), [Perception] (11/26).

  Derived Skills: [Tools Menu] (5/12), [System's Eye] (15/30), [Instinct] (12/21), [Limb Regeneration] (8/13), [Color Camoufge] (8/11), [Acid Resistance] (5/7), [Fire Resistance] (5/7), [Hunger Resistant Physique] (8/13), [Corrosive Mucus] (12/16), [Mental Connection] (8/13), [Enhanced Hearing] (11/15), [Enhanced Smell] (11/16).

  Combat Power Level: 3.6

  ...

  After observing the information in the [Tools Menu], System found that the lifespan that he was always worried about had indeed increased. His current lifespan was more than a year longer than Quin's three-year lifespan. It seemed that the improvement obtained during the third metamorphosis by each grasshopper was different.

  The changes this time had been more obvious than the ones that had happened during his second metamorphosis. After his third metamorphosis, not only had System's physical fitness further improved, many of his abilities had also increased to varying degrees.

  System looked at the dozen or so ant rvae around him and activated [Mental Connection] to connect with them. The rvae felt joy and peace of mind. At the same time, they also felt very hungry.

  If the time recorded in the [Tools Menu] was correct, his metamorphosis had sted for two full days.

  System gently comforted the rvae with his mind, then picked every glowing mushroom in the cave with his tentacles and fed them to the ant rvae.

  Because of his newly acquired ability [System's Eye], even without a glimmer of light, the cave was still as bright as day. The illumination provided by the growing mushrooms was no longer needed.

  As for the ant rvae and worker ants who were completely blind in the darkness, such a weak light source didn't do them any good, anyway.

  While System was feeding the mushrooms to the rvae, he suddenly felt some weak and unusual emotions through [Mental Transmission] and [Mental Connection]. He twitched his antennae and used his eyes to carefully search around. Not long after, he discovered what was emitting those faint emotions.

  The emotions were coming from the mushrooms that emitted faint light. As the mushrooms were swallowed by the ant rvae, the fungi that formed the mushrooms emitted weak and sad emotions because of their demise.

  The third metamorphosis had upgraded System's [Mental Transmission] (6/22) to [Mental Transmission] (8/22).

  Because of the improvement in the talent's level, it had apparently added another possible communication partner in addition to pnts and insects—fungi.

  If his [Mental Transmission] ability continued to improve, System would definitely be able to communicate with more species.

  ...

  After carrying the dozen or so ant rvae to a nearby granary room full of food, System noticed that the passage the worker ants had built only a few days earlier now seemed a little bit tight after his body's recent growth. It seemed like he'd have to ask Shava's ant construction team to expand the passages in the wintering nest.

  System began quickly crawling his way toward the temporary nest's exit.