For Halas, subjugation and intimidation came easily. It was familiar with the intricate details of tone control and body language to suppress even the mindlessly insane. It was a valuable skill when it came to survival. Subjugating the Taur was not necessary for its mission, but using that method to hide its true objective was desirable.

Halas needed materials. This was a critical weakness, and perhaps the only one the creature possessed. Without materials it could not evolve. It would not be able to repair or improve itself. Eventually, even its batteries would run dry and it would die. At this stage in its life, it had to reach the third stage of evolution which would truly extend its lifespan to immortality. With a proper reactor, it didn't have to worry about starving to death. Still, even a fusion reactor was not ideal, but this reactor would eventually power the laser that would allow it to start up the quantum singularity reactor.

Subjugating the Taur was an act of deception meant to conceal its true intent. When the time was right, it would devour them all to cover its tracks. Unless they proved to be useful beyond their specifications.

However, not everything went as smoothly as expected. What bothered Halas now was the incessant whining of what it believed to be the Education Protocol.

Your Calamity potential has increased.

You can choose a Calamity perk.

Even after several reboots of the Education modules, the words persistently remained, like needles inside its electronic brain. Halas was a machine of precision and purpose, therefore the mysterious terms and uncertain plan of action put the machine into a foul mood. If its consciousness could even be described as something that had a mood.

At least the term potential resembled something like a performance evaluation, but not once was the actual value of that potential described.

You are a Class-K Calamity.

[Emotion Matrix: Anger.]

Even though the Education Protocol decided to behave itself after a few reboots, it still used strange, nonsense terms.

[Warning. Deactivating the Education Module will lower chances of survival by 99.9999999%.]

[Education Module deactivated.]

[Emotion Matrix: Pleased.]

Even though now it would not truly learn its origin, or what awaits it in the future, at least it solved a problem. What use was crossing the infinite oceans of mystery, if the boat had a leak and was destined to sink?

Because you lack the capacity to make an informed choice, the most suitable perk has been chosen for you.

You have gained the Calamity perk: Devourer of Infinite Worlds. Devourer of Infinite Worlds

As a creature with the ability to devour other creatures or items, this action now directly restores your health and mana, expands your mana pool, has a small chance to improve your attributes or to steal skills, levels or properties from the target. Additionally, you can now store eligible devouring targets in a pocket dimension, and automatically devour them whenever you desire. Storing objects in this pocket dimension lowers your total mana pool based on the relative target size or level.

[Emotion Matrix: Compound.]

Anger burned in the creature's circuits, as did curiosity. There was no doubt about it anymore. This knowledge, and these announcements, did not come from the Education Protocol. It was something else. Halas had been suspicious for some time now, but had always disregarded these troubling ideas as nothing more than errors. Furthermore, what this knowledge suggested was extremely valuable.

But what was this mana thing?

Name Halas Race Machine Class God-Slaying Machine Level 2 Physique Apocalyptic Tyrant Spirit Ruinous Power HP 14485/14485 MP 20150/20150 Evolution Pattern Seed-Drone Calamity Rank K Calamity Perks Automatic Intuition (I) You have an innate ability to analyze objects and creatures. This ability also allows you to automatically perform a divination upon yourself at an improved level. Relentless Predator (Max) You never tire, you never sleep, you never become hungry or thirsty. You will never suffer fatigue penalties, or mana-starvation penalties. Unbreakable (Max) You possess a hard outer shell that is extremely difficult to pierce. Your aptitude at the various resistance abilities is significantly improved, their starting values are greatly improved, and your max health pool is much greater than normal. Mana Reactor (III) You are powered by mana and possess a mana reactor. The output of your mana reactor determines your maximum mana pool and vice versa; your maximum mana pool also determines the output of your reactor. Devourer of Infinite Worlds (Max) Your devour action now directly restores your health and mana, expands your mana pool and it has a small chance to improve your attributes or to steal skills, levels or properties from the target. Additionally, you can now store eligible devouring targets in a pocket dimension, and automatically devour them whenever you desire. Storing objects in this pocket dimension lowers your total mana pool based on the relative target size or level.

There was no doubt about it, this information came from outside of Halas's modules and even circuits. This errant collapse of quantum probabilities originated directly within its central processing unit. Even more than that, to understand with complete confidence how its specific traits quantified seemed both odd and refreshing at the same time.

Halas understood that in this environment there was an impartial teacher beyond its own programming and modules. There existed an invisible hand that guided both himself and his prey. Perhaps, Halas reasoned, it was the universe itself. Had Halas's Education Protocol remained activated, this absurd thought would've been instantly purged because it came close to something resembling religious dogma. The idea that there existed an omnicient entity that guided was dangerous. Now, Halas not only believed it, but accepted the possibility as a certainty.

The way Halas had a manufacturer, so did this world. The so-called Creator.

It wondered what the Creator would taste like.