Chapitre 16: New Skill

'What? Absorb IQ? Could that mean…'

The revelation struck him with confusion and shock as he contemplated the meaning behind the words. Before he could fully process it, the robotic voice resounded in his mind once again.

[ SYSTEM ADVISES HOST TO INCREASE IQ ]

'You, shut up, bring the nice lady back'

[AI ASSISTANT ACTIVATED ]

[ The strain of activating Sage Mode and Mind Split has tempered the host's soul, allowing the host to unlock the ability of cognitive absorption.

This ability allows the host to absorb the soul essence of the being the host kills, granting them access to the being's memories, mental prowess, certain skills, and overall intelligence.

However, it is important to note that not all of the being's IQ can be retrieved, and absorbing the IQ of other beings may have adverse effects.

There is a limit on how much IQ the host can absorb, as of this moment, the host can assimilate the IQ of three beings.

There is a limit on what beings and types of IQ the host can absorb aswell.

IQ absorption capacity is directly proportional to host soul strength. ]

Zhihui's exhausted mind grasped the implications of his new skill with startling clarity.

"So, I can steal the knowledge of those I kill?" he thought, his lips curling into a cruel smile.

This was a powerful ability, one that could give him an insurmountable advantage over his enemies.

With each kill, he would become more knowledgeable, more powerful, and more unstoppable.

But Zhihui knew that this power came at a cost.

[ Knowledge, for a broad term, yes, but not specifically. ]

'What are the consequences?'

[ Possible side effects are not limited to, but may include:

Identity confusion: Taking in too much knowledge from others can make it difficult to distinguish between your own thoughts and feelings, as you are constantly bombarded with new perspectives and memories.

Overwhelm: Trying to absorb a large amount of information at once can be overwhelming, leading to mental fatigue, stress, and even cognitive breakdowns.

Selective absorption issues: The skill may not be able to distinguish between useful and irrelevant information, which can lead to a flood of data that makes it difficult to focus on the most important insights.

Dependency: Relying too heavily on absorbing knowledge from others can hinder your personal growth, as you may become dependent on external sources instead of developing your own skills and understanding.

Information overload: You may have difficulty managing a large amount of data, which could lead to a state of mental overload that makes it difficult to process new information effectively.

Temporal limitations: The absorbed knowledge may be temporary or degrade over time, requiring you to constantly reabsorb it, which can be frustrating and make you feel like your knowledge is fleeting.

Hallucinations.

Headaches.

Inability to Unlearn: Once absorbed, information might be challenging to forget or unlearn, creating mental clutter that could impede personal growth and adaptation to new circumstances.

Struggle to Focus on the Present: The constant influx of memories and knowledge from various sources may make it difficult for hosts to stay present in their current reality, leading to lapses in attention and awareness.

Unpredictable Changes in Personality: The assimilation of diverse intellectual traits may result in unpredictable shifts in personality.

Possible unknown variable 353 interference.

Plus many other possible side effects, the system recommends the host allows system to absorb it first, sort it, and then decide whether to transfer. ]

*sigh* The smile wiped from his face, feeling slightly disappointed, Zhihui remained silent for a while.

'That's a lot of side effects, and if I were to absorb this bears IQ it'd probably be even worse than if I absorbed a humans.'

'On one hand, it's an incredible skill, but on the flip side, the potential side effects are staggering. With my already messed-up second personality, I can't afford any more mental complications.'

'Hmm'

He rubbed his chin, deep in thought.

'Alright, proceed'

And that moment, an ethereal, majestic cube appeared in his palm, small in size and glowed a deep blue. The runes on its surface came alive as the cube began to rotate.

From inside the beast's chest, white energy flowed out towards the cube, which seemed to be drawing it closer, like a magnet.

While the white energy surrounded the cube, one of the runes on the surface began to glow white, and the energy was sucked in.

After a moment, the cube slowly stopped rotating, and a robotic voice resounded in Zhihui's mind.

[ IQ ABSORBED ]

[ CALIBRATING ]

[ SEARCHING MEMORIES ]

*ZZAP*

[ {Monster Bear} {IQ:80;} {Specialised}{ 2nd level Early Stage Qi Condensation-Approx}

{Life overview:

{Born into the harsh wilderness, a young bear orphaned by wolves forged a path of survival alone.

Embracing its dormant Qi, it mastered the art of survival and combat, honing its shrewdness and adaptability to outsmart its enemies and traverse treacherous landscapes.

Rising to the apex of the food chain, the bear became a beacon of resilience and dominance.

In its solitary life, the bear developed an uncanny sensitivity to the energies around it, sensing the Qi of others with instinctive ease.

This heightened awareness, combined with its strategic brilliance, made it an unparalleled ruler of its domain, navigating the challenges of the wild with unmatched finesse and strength.}

'So even a monster like this lived a complex life huh.. Come to think of it, this would be my first kill in this world..'

He stared into the lifeless eyes of the beast before him. A wave of guilt, anger, sadness, and complex emotions crashed against him. After a moment, the conflicted emotions subsided, and an indifferent expression settled on his face.

He sighed. "It was either you or me."

"Right or wrong, I don't know."

"All I know is that it was honest, and I regret nothing."

He remained silent for a moment, then heaved a deep sigh before speaking.

"Who knows how many I'll have to kill to reach the peak?"

In that instant, a vision of a figure materialized in his mind, prompting a crease in his brow. He asserted with a tinge of irritation,

"I'll never become like him."

Zhihu was no stranger to the beast.

The hunters of the village would often venture into the forest to gather resources, but they usually only encountered ordinary animals.

However, when Zhihu first entered the forest, the beast sensed his qi and attacked him. Zhihu was caught off guard by the sudden eruption of earth spikes and was forced to flee.

Killing wasn't something he enjoyed, but he wouldn't hesitate to do what was necessary.

'But if it was really shrewd why would it charge at me like that?'

[The system hypothesizes that Host's unique Qi may have caused the anamoly, but the memories of the battle between Host and the beast are lost. ]

[ Moreover, the utilization of Qi in this creature seems distinct from that of humans; cultivation for this beast occurred organically. ]

'What else?'

{Knowledge}

{This monster bear, an omnivore, is a master of foraging. It possesses knowledge of a wide variety of food sources, including plants that have grown with qi and have unique effects when consumed. This is the source of the bear's incredible strength and prowess.}

'I remember the herb master gave that cultivator… I see, plants and animals are both considered living beings. If humans can utilise Qi, why can't they? It makes sense'

{ This beast has a certain instinct related to sensing Qi, as well as excellent hearing and sight.}

'Hmm so if I was to absorb this beast's IQ, I would get its memories and its senses…Knowledge of the plants would be helpful; its qi sensing ability is also great for scouting, but the side effects are too broad, and I'm only able to absorb three right now.'

'What about its Earth spike ability, could I learn that?'

[ The host would have to absorb the IQ of the beast to experiment and determine whether that is indeed possible or not. ]

'Are you able to store the memories of the beast?'

[ Affirmative ]

[ However, direct transfer of memories from the beast to host would be impossible as they would be assimilated into the system; only when host raises their system IQ would the host be able to unlock it, amongst other features ]

[ But the host can request information from system.

System recommends Host allow the system to absorb the beast's mental essence. The more information system gathers on host current planet, the better, as the system possesses a calculation ability far greater than the host and, from small amounts of information, is able to deduce more.]

'Ho, alright, deduce the reason as to why I can't see into Ai's soul'

[ COMMAND DECLINED ]

[ INSUFFICIENT IQ ]

'I knew it.. Is that it then? I'd just get the knowledge of the Qi plants/herbs.'

[ And by analyzing the beast's memories, the system can create a map of the forest. Locating said plants ]

"Killing others and stealing their IQ.."

Despite its many drawbacks, it ignited a spark of anticipation within him. Having grappled with memory loss in the past, he recognized the value of knowledge, particularly in a world like this.

Zhihui offered a subtle smile and conveyed his thoughts in an even tone,

"The future will be interesting"