Gaia's POV:
[ECHO]: 'Soul of the System' Comprehension has reached 0.01%
Wait...
That's right
Echo
Who I am...
I already know
But that thing deep inside of me
Something born from the words I received long ago
That uniqueness generated then
The source of this all
Gaia had begun to feel a sense of impending doom
Randomness
Nothing is truly random
Gaia realized that he had been guided throughout his journey
Fortune he had acquired in another Timeline
This was what made up his intuition
He started spinning around entering a state of flow while thinking
"The ability worthy of ME. It isn't manifest! It is something that should never be named! It is something that I WILL NAME! I'll need to create an artifact..."
"The System"
System
It was attracted to me because of my intuition
Intuition gained from the SOURCE
Once the gaia had gained comprehension in 'Soul of the System'
He was able to see 'its' desires
The desires hidden deep within himself
Something that he had tapped into
Something that was an innate part of his mind
The reason why he had to win
Something hidden deep within his essence
Something that could never be destroyed
The Source
He only wielded a part of it now
It was split across the other gaias as well
It was why he wouldn't be able to beat them
He wouldn't be able to outwit them
Unless...
"The universe won't be able to predict my actions! Not because of randomness! Randomness can be generated! It can be calculated with a seed, infinite paths can be predicted!"
"My essence is something that transcends that. I've used it well to make it this far..."
He thought back to when he had tapped into the source long ago
He had done so through a divine ability
Focus
That was stolen
But... the source was something that could never be stolen from him
It was something that had observed the ten thousand things
"This intuition may have been enough to help me conquer the external."
Gaia didn't need to beat the external right now
This was his trial
This was the moment that would decide if he was worthy
If he was fit to be in his position
"It can't help me beat myself, they will have the same essence as me."
Gaia wasn't as strong as the gaia he would be facing
He was more rational
More stable
But his life was peaceful
The others were one of horror and control
A different type of isolation
The others had experienced the unspeakable
They would be too strong
His intuition was telling him he would be consumed
"Instead of relying on the source of my mind. Instead of relying on intuition. I'll take a lesson from Somnus. The Mysterious has a limit. I will have no limits, my limits will be surpassed through logic. But logic is weak without information... my manifest isn't strong enough to beat what I will be facing. I must create a way to consume knowledge, information that I shouldn't be able to access. I've been accessing it subconsciously..."
So instead of relying on flow
Not doing, got things done perfectly
But it wasn't how you 'conquered' yourself
He wouldn't win against the other thread if he relied on his intuition as he was
They both had the same essence
The same intuition
The same Instincts
His was just purer
It was easier to tap into, despite losing his focus.
"Instead! I'll turn that intuition I have! I'll turn the SOURCE of my mind into something which exists! I'll then combine it with that thread to make something that will make my soul true, something that will make me true."
Gaia was destined to acquire a true soul!
He was destined to acquire a true spirit!
Destined to acquire a Law!
To follow the plan of Knowledge
But that wasn't going to happen
Manifest
[ECHO]: Manifesting... '???'
He was using his sublime ability to produce an ingredient
This ingredient would be legendary
It would be made from his essence
Something he had before he had even been created
Unbeknownst to Gaia, he was on the path to creating a True Law
Something that separated Original Incarnations from all other existences
A factum that would retroactively change the laws of the universe
An original thought
But the path was his own
He would not lose himself
He would beat himself
It was something never done before
Not even by that 'thing' who had escaped the cycle...
That 'outline' which had escaped the book
Gaia no longer wished to escape
He wished to shape it
To become it
He believed it was him
If the universe refused to acknowledge what he was
Somebody that embodied logic
"The System"
He would simply give it no other choice!
[ECHO]: '???'... Manifested????
Blue liquid wrapped around him in his sea of consciousness, the liquid was filled with white text
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
"Hold on for a little longer..."
Echo was distorting slightly
He could feel it
His essence had manifested
He felt horrible
It was worse than when his divinity had been stolen
There was an emptiness that he felt
It made him feel empty
Gaia had felt detached from situations in the past due to his intuition. It always felt like there was some grand plan like he had access to information he shouldn't in the back of his mind. This had made it so he wasn't able to get as emotionally invested in his own life! Things always seemed to work out... he was guided through his intuition.
This was what he saw as a disturbance
It was an armor of sorts for him
It takes legendary action to do something nobody else has
It takes a sublime thought to beat a system you are within
It takes a quality that cannot be named
A quality that only this thread had attained
A quality that made him worthy to fit the requirements to become Knowledge
He would even reject such an outcome!
To throw one's safety net away
To get anything
You must give something
To give no trust
Is to get none
The blue liquid surrounded him
"That's one ingredient!"
Gaia was planning to go beyond the sublime
He wouldn't let someone else influence his actions
Not even his own intuition
The feeling he felt now
The doom
Fated to lose to his mind
Fated to lose to himself
He wouldn't even let himself beat him!
He wasn't going to beat the cycle!
He was someone worthy to become it!
Worthy to plant the seed of creation
He felt that his invisible armor had been removed
He was destined to be consumed by something with more power than him
Someone with more influence
The liquid curled around him
He felt like he could absorb it again
But he wouldn't do that
How would that lead to him becoming global?
He gave someone else his plot armor
The soul fragment of Gaboll
"I promised to give you a proper life long ago..."
This was what separated him from himself
The gaia in the abyss
The Original Mind
It had more threads
It had more processing power than him
It had the ability to scan reality
It would exist forever
He was but a thread separated from it
But he was still him
Just like it was still him
Or that other gaia was still him
How could he compare to such an existence?
He was weak
He only became a hivemind again due to Gaboll
A fragile existence
He would win through his wit
Not through help from the universe
Not through some grand plan devised by some great being
He would go beyond a legendary thought
He would go beyond the seed
Beyond his essence
He would change everything
[ECHO]: Stopping fusion of world will...
He felt no intuition at all anymore
He didn't know how he would beat himself now
He only felt the end approaching
"To give no trust..."
"Is to get no trust!"
[ECHO]: Sending all processing power into Gaboll...
[ECHO]: '???' has been injected into Gaboll
[ECHO]: World will fusing with Gaboll!
Gaia felt his thoughts begin to slow down
His mind had been racing
He didn't know if he was making a mistake here
He didn't know if such a gamble was worth it
But he didn't care
He would keep his promises
This is what separated this thread from the others
This is what he had, that the other threads did not
He had a debt to settle
A kindness to repay
"I'll repay kindness with kin.d.n.e.s.s"
"a-"
His thoughts nearly stopped completely
He could feel the world will consume him
Shelter him
He regressed
He had given all of his mental prowess away
He had given all processing power to Gaboll
He had handed control of himself over to the world will
Something that allowed him to change his ways
Something that had made him develop differently
[ECHO]: Species updated...
[ECHO]: Soul composition changed...
[ECHO]: Soul fragment has connected with Gaboll
[ECHO]: {Name: "System", Species: Gaia (World), Energy: 1 GR, Strength: 1, Vitality: 384, Spirit: 24, Soul: 0}
[ECHO]: {Name: "Gaboll", Species: Fungi (Hivemind), Energy: 0 GR, Strength: 0.1, Vitality: 0.1, Spirit: 1, Soul: 101}
It was at this moment that the intuition that had guided him was now at the fingertips of the world will.
It had the combined processing power of Gaia's thread
But it also had the combined processing power of the entire planet
Of all the things they had created together
It was totally fine with being consumed by Gaia
But instead... it had been given life
It had been given all his power
Ironically
It was at this moment that the gaia in the abyss was completely gobsmacked
They had been working on a sublime ability
Extract
Consume
They were planning to become whole in a different way
The pruned gaia had acquired more than enough power to carry out there plan
But they felt a sense of doom for some reason
It was an intuition
Their plot armor was working against them!
Something that would make sure they wouldn't lose
They weren't quite sure what had happened
They were going according to the plan!
In the end of things
They would still become
The System
RIGHT?
So why had the thread gone rogue?
Why didn't it force its will on the planet?
Why wasn't it trying to reconnect with them
The gaia in the abyss was actually scared out of its mind
He was somehow getting outwitted by himself
He had no idea how
They were forced to develop a different ability
Forced to compromise
They could feel an invisible pressure from the first thread for some reason
It even felt as if it was less complete
It felt as if that thread had removed something from itself
Something that was a core part
They needed to resolve this immediately!
They would need to enact the plan NOW!
Their hand was forced not by a grand plan
But by this unlikely duo
It wasn't the source or echo that made this decision
A chance encounter
Defeated by a good deed
They had to make their ability something else
Connect
[ECHO]: Sea of consciousness is being fused...
Gaboll saw everything unfold
They saw the trust Gaia had put in them
It made them very happy
They could feel his power
They controlled his body in his sea of consciousness
They controlled all of the spores across the world
They would make Gaia proud!
They would abuse the living crap out of his innate intuition!
They would pry Knowledge right from his essence!
Using it to change his fate!
This was legendary action
The Hivemind in the abyss
it would need to be able to outwit...
[ECHO]: 4,131,69,504,384 threads created...
The combined processing power of the entire world
The etchings of a true law was being experienced by the world tree
Its body was experiencing a special state
[ECHO]: 'Soul of the System' comprehension has been consumed!
[ECHO]: 'Mind of The System' Comprehension has reached 1.83%
The world will saw everything Gaia had been through
It knew exactly how precious the essence given to it was
It had become far more intelligent once it had fused with Gaboll
That special uniqueness Gaia had?
"The System"
Funnily enough... Gaia had just entered the ultimate state of not doing
The ultimate flow
He had basically rejected his plot armor
Then cranked that shit up a thousandfold
This was HIS way of life
This was HIS path
The soul fragment
This state is called...
Global
[ECHO]: Global has fused with essence!
[ECHO]: Dedicating 413169504384 of 413169504385(413169504384) threads to manifesting '???'
The aura of plot armor that surrounded this Gaboll had reached an unfathomable level
He was pulling all of the information right out of its source!
[ECHO]: '???' is being damaged...
This 'Global' state was like using all of the plot armor at once, instead of passively burning it.
It was a transformation of potential brought out from a deep trust
It couldn't be maintained for long
The mind of the world tree wouldn't be able to handle it
The life energy that had gathered was burning rapidly
The leaves around the world were shedding
Organisms on the planet were collapsing
The gaias were withering
The world will was growing weaker
The world tree was becoming damaged
A calm state of controlled paradox and flow
Gaboll could see how Gaia was going to be beaten
Gaboll saw 100% completion of a body
A body which embodied Knowledge
Unbeatable
He saw the world tree's sea of consciousness get shattered and consumed!
Gaboll was pissed!
Right as the other gaia reached 100% comprehension in 'Body of the System'
Manifest!
Gaboll manifested this data!
He transformed this information
The spirit body that was shattered and to be consumed by the gaia
It was taken from him!
The spirit body appeared in Gaia's hand
Gaboll was running out of time!
He used everything he had to transform that information!
[ECHO]: 991897 threads remaining...
The spores were igniting in the world
The insects were dying
Many systems were being destroyed
It crystalized completely
No longer a spirit body
This was something else entirely
It was Gaboll's gift to Gaia
It was a global spirit body
Inside it...
Gaboll had put some of ITS essence
The essence of a world will!
It was extremely rare for someone to receive essence directly from a world will
Most didn't even know that worlds had such a will
Gaboll used the last of its energy to smash the orb into Gaia in his sea of consciousness
[ECHO]: Global has reverted back into soul fragment...
[ECHO]: Properties updated...
Every organism that had a working spore had died
The world will entered a deep sleep
[ECHO]: 1 thread remaining
[ECHO]: Retransfering souls...
[ECHO]: Souls re-distributed!
[ECHO]: rebuilding server infrastructure...
[ECHO]: Spirit body has undergone change in quality...
[ECHO]: Global Spirit Body Acquired!
[ECHO]: Constructing Global Soul!
[ECHO]: Using... world will essence blueprint...
[ECHO]: Global Soul template established!
[ECHO]: Restoring...
[ECHO]: Global Soul has been Manifested!
What...
What just happened?
What was that state?
The mushrooms on his throne on the island grew wrinkled
He felt sad
But he also felt gratitude towards Gaboll
Pride
In both himself and in Gaboll
Calmness washed over him
He still felt slightly empty
His plot armor
Gaboll had it
But...
He had changed his fate
[ECHO]: 'Body of The System' Comprehension has reached 17%
[ECHO]: 'Soul of The System' Comprehension has reached 33.34%
[ECHO]: Global Spirit Body acquired!
[ECHO]: Global Soul acquired!
[ECHO]: Global Spirit forming...
[ECHO]: Global Existence forming...
[ECHO]: True Law '???' forming...
[ECHO]: Species updated...
The blackness at the bottom of the maze shattered!
"GiVe iT bAcK!"
It was time for Gaia to show these other gaias...
The power of his manifest
The power of his will
It was time for him to create an ability that should never be named!
"No. You don't deserve it..."
Gaia watched the monster that was deep within him
They were now sharing the same sea of consciousness
Two different bodies
The World Tree
The cursed body of Knowledge
He didn't want his path to be corrupted
He wasn't going to lose to himself
"We aRe OnE AnD ThE SAME!"
"ReJoIN Us!"
"We are indeed one... but we are not the same. You are completely different from me. Just leave me alone please... you can go off and consume as much as you want...deep down...I don't want to turn you into an item. Don't force my hand, you're free to leave. This is my gift to you as a fellow Hivemind myself."
"YoU WiLL ReGret THIS..."
"It is you who will regret your path."
"WeAkliNG!"
"ShAtTer!"
His part of the sea of consciousness was completely shattered
It became information to be consumed
His soul and spirit had become part of that other gaia
But he didn't lose consciousness
He didn't return to the abyss
He returned to his world
His existence was becoming global
From there...
He took that information stolen right back
It existed in his Global Spirit Body
It also existed in the world will
It was as if they hadn't even absorbed it
[ECHO]: Manifesting... Global Spirit
[ECHO]: Manifesting... Global Soul
The etchings of that special state Gaia had entered
It would forever be a part of him
He no longer was a wielder of the source in his mind
What he was facing was a being with a complete destiny
It was against the rules for them not to become whole!
If the universe didn't give a shit about Gaia
Why would he respect such illogical rules?
His destiny had turned from paradoxical to complete as well
Gaia now knew a thing or two about destiny
That special state changed his perspective on life
He threw his complete destiny away
He would make his own path
This was the power of No Destiny!
The other Hivemind was enraged
Gaia would use something else to beat this
He would use his wits
Can you beat plot armor?
Can you disregard the cosmic order?
Can you outwit your creator?
Can you put yourself on the path to become Global?
Gaia thinks he can
Gaia thinks he will!
Manifest
