Villain: Ultimate Mutation System in the Alternate World - Chapter 486

Chapter 486: Isolation
After what felt like an eternity, Reign reached a point in the river where the energy thickened into a jelly-like substance.

The once easy to move current had become a trap, pulling him down with every movement.

What was worse, he couldn’t fly here—the space itself denied him that freedom.

‘So what now? Do I just keep walking?’ he wondered, staring out at the endless river.

At this point, he wasn’t even sure if there was an end to it at all. Maybe the text had been right; this place was infinite, and that thought made him uneasy—there was nothing scarier than that.

‘The system only said it would solidify; it never promised I’d find the end of this godforsaken place,’ He grumbled, but he didn’t have much of a choice, so he had to keep moving.

Another cycle passed.

System, how long have I been here?

[System: Relying on the system’s 24-hour format, it has been 42 days.]

‘Yeah, those hunters must be dead by now. No way humans could survive without food or water for that long,’ he chuckled to himself, amused by the thought that others who came here had likely met a worse fate.

It was a petty way to lift his spirits, convincing himself he wasn’t the dumbest person around.

After 154 days, he finally reached a point where the river solidified a bit, resembling a thin sheet of ice.

Now he could move faster, which was a huge improvement from before.

Along the way, he talked to the system whenever he rested to avoid losing his mind from the feeling of isolation.

“System, how many people could fit in a bus, and how many could fit in an ambulance?”

[System: A standard bus could fit around 40 to 60 passengers, depending on the model. An ambulance typically accommodates up to 4 to 6 people, including medical personnel and the patient.]

“Wrong! The ambulance could carry more than 100 because the patient is 50-50! You get it? You get it?”

[System: Error. Calculation does not match. A standard van cannot accommodate 100 plus passengers. The statement ’50-50′ is illogical in this context.]

‘Damn, you don’t have any sense of humor at all,’ he sighed.

“Here’s a good one: what thing is stupid and has no sense of humor?”

[System: You.]

“Motherfucker!” Reign grumbled.

The system had a sense of humor after all, but it was clearly programmed to poke fun at him.

He continued this routine until he stopped counting the days.

It reminded him of his childhood when a minute felt like an eternity while staring at the clock.

Though he lost track of how long he had been walking, he was certain it had been over half a year.

‘Nah, I give up. Who gives a shit anyway? Might as well go to sleep and rest in peace here.’

He slumped to the ground, the toll on his mind leaving him dejected and exhausted from moving forward.

The mental strain was far greater than the physical—his will to continue had eroded after he began doubting his choice.

But as thoughts of his original body and the life he would miss out on surfaced, he shook the doubts away and pushed himself to continue.

Finally, after what felt like lifetimes spent dragging his feet, he noticed something different.

At first, it was faint, like a trick of the eye—a smudge on the endless horizon.

He squinted, and in the distance, he spotted a tree.

Was it real? Was it another trick? He didn’t care—he had to know.

With all his remaining strength, he dashed forward, afraid it would vanish into thin air if he took his time.

As he got closer, the details of the tree came into focus.

It was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

Its bark shimmered with a luminous jade light, casting a gentle radiance that brightened the surrounding darkness.

The leaves sparkled like precious green gems—emeralds, perhaps, or something far more valuable.

‘Is this real?’ he muttered, reaching out to touch the trunk.

The moment his fingers brushed against the surface, he felt it was brittle like glass, smooth and cold to the touch.

‘Where is the seed?’

He examined the tree closely, searching for any sign of it, but there was none.

In desperation, he reached up again and plucked a leaf, hoping it might provide some clue.

To his surprise, as he chewed on it, a rush of energy coursed through him, revitalizing him in an instant.

‘If the leaves can do this, what else can this tree do?’

He looked up at the branches again, this time focusing on the patterns in the bark and the gem like leaves.

There had to be more to this tree than met the eye.

He took a step back and closed his eyes, trying to sense any hidden energy or presence nearby.

As he concentrated, he felt a faint vibration emanating from the trunk, almost like a heartbeat.

“System, analyze this tree for me,” he commanded, placing his hand firmly at the base.

[System Analysis Initiated: Scanning tree structure… Analysis in progress.]

The system hummed in his mind as it worked, and he waited, hoping for answers.

[System: Analysis complete. Tree Type: Made of Pure Energy]

[Properties: Highly regenerative, capable of revitalizing energy.]

[Contains latent fruit that can be harvested, but only under specific conditions.]

[Warning: Destroying the tree may result in unforeseen consequences.]

‘What conditions?’ Reign asked, eager for more information.

[System: To harvest fruit, you must establish a connection with the tree. This can be achieved by focusing your energy and intention on the tree while offering a part of your own soul as a trade.]

‘My soul? Can you explain that to me more clearly?’

[System: It has the same concept as your Seed host, but in this case, instead of transferring your soul from one body to another, you have to sever a part of yourself in exchange for a fruit. The stronger your soul is, the more benefits you will receive.]