" Alright, Oswald. Let's get out of this place. I intended to visit my brother today and that's what I'm going to do. System or no System. Besides, even if I possess a monster form I will probably not survive in the wild alone for very long. I wasn't confident in my woodsman skills even before the apocalypse, with monsters roaming about I don't like our chances. So let's go through the jungle to our east and meet up with Hank in Valley creek. Truly, a beautiful little town that is. You'd love it. You have anything here you want to keep before we go? It may be a while before we can come back. You've lived here all you're life after all." Connor asked Oswald.

" I have no need for the material possessions of this place. I was never truly living when I was here." The scorpion responded, indignant at the thought he would want to remember his previous life.

" Alright buddy, I get it. You want to put the past behind you, move on from the lesser scorpion you were before. I can dig that. " Connor said calmly. There was no need to get into the thick of it with his new traveling companion. All he had to do was remember to always treat Oswald as an equal and never anything less. A simple enough request. " Hey Oz, be sure to hold onto the cat, would you? I'll scrounge for some sort of weapon that may be sharper than my claws." Oswald held up the kitten in a single claw before he lost track of her. She was a tricky devil after all.

Ok, other half. Anything in here look sharper than our claws?

I have the same memories and knowledge as you. How the hell would I know?

I dunno, man. I just figured you would be more in touch with our bestial senses. Maybe you could sniff out a particularly durable metal or something?

No. I cannot "sniff out" some mystical metal that may or may not be lying around in our house for no reason at all. This isn't some fantasy world like the web novels we used to read. Ok, it is suspiciously similar but I doubt there would be some boon from the heavens just sitting in our garage. Our claws will suffice. Test them against some regular steel if you don't believe me.

After some semi-rigorous testing of his new claws, Connor decided that his body was just that tough and if he wanted traditional weapons; he would need to find them among the new world outside his door. The terror was only just now setting in. Even just the environment outside was unnaturally harsh and would only be more unforgiving than the desert of the old world. What would he do? What would he become? Who would he become? Before the panic attack could really get going he heard a voice.

Connor. Relax. What will be will be. We must adapt. There is no other choice. We couldn't have stopped this change even if we knew it was coming. There can be no doubts, only change, otherwise, we will die.

Connor got it. He really did. He just wasn't ready for the world to change to that extreme a degree. He was a pretty stagnant person, to begin with, this whole new world was a lot to deal with in a single day.

You know that's not true. You have always been on the verge of change. But only now. Now that we are aware if what we are. of what we must become. We have entered the chrysalis of life, Connor. When you are done grieving the loss of our humanity, we will emerge as a new, complete being.

When I let go, we will be gone, both of us, we will have become one being again.

Yes.

Will you remember me when I'm gone? Based on everything the AI told us you're more me than me. You are the "real" Connor if such a thing exists. I'm just the remnant bits of humanity that refuse to give in to this new reality. And yet I am in control. Any idea why?

We fractured. You grabbed the body and I grabbed the soul. Your control is ultimately temporary. When everything is done, I will be the one in control. Sorry, Connor.

Not your fault. You were the smart one. I am the one who didn't want to adapt. To grow. You accepted change and growth.

Yes. I. I am the closest thing to a "real" version of us. And soon I will be the only version of us. Your mind is only so strong Connor. You will give out. Even if I tried my hardest to keep you around you would die anyway. We have to live Connor. No matter what. When the time comes you must go willingly and we will merge into a complete mind. Otherwise, your mind will give out and all that remains will be me.

What if you're better? You are ready to change, I'm not. You can adapt, I can't. What if you are meant to survive and I'm not.

I don't know, Connor. Life is more complex than we can grasp. And yet it is up to us to decide what to do with the life we have. So we must make a choice.

Fair enough. I'll try and let you know when I'm ready. Been human all my life after all!

Of course.

" Connor?" the nearby scorpion, asked. " Are you well?"

" I'm fine, buddy. Just a bit overwhelmed with the world. It changed so much. It expects me to change so much. It's a lot, Oswald. I don't know if I'm ready for such change." Connor responded, despondent.

" But your change is complete is it not? You don't even smell human anymore." Oswald wondered what was going on in his companion's head. Change is both inevitable and unavoidable. The world will do what it does and we will respond. That is simply how it works.

A shaky laugh broke the ever-increasing silence. " You think so? Don't even smell human anymore, do I? I suppose on a basic level you are correct. But Oz my changes are only getting started. Actually, You want to explain?" Connor said. His final question not directed at his physical ally but instead towards himself as he passed over control allowing his other self to take control. Shaking loose for a moment and adjusting to the body, Connor looked directly at Oswald. His eyes changing throughout the movement going from his normal light, hazel eyes and switching to bloody irisless sclera and gleaming golden slits being visible vertically. " Hello, insect." A vicious, inhuman grin revealing far too many teeth and a monstrous, vile tongue poking out of the sharp mouth. Oswald looked into the eyes of the Connor-creature and felt unknowable terror. On reflex, his tails and claws sprung in preparation for the clear attack incoming. The appendages held stiff in the vain hope that the Beast would overlook their trembling. No human could let out such monstrous pressure. Something had taken Connor. Something had-

The grin swiftly broke into a casual chuckle, filled with mirth," Just kidding, Oz." Other-Connor said, still laughing at his own little prank. " I am Connor's other half. And yet also Connor. You see when the mana wave hit, I woke up. Connor's soul was always the soul of a Beast and misplaced by some grand cosmic error. Instead of dying, as usually occurs when such a cruel twist of fate happens, he survived and even thrived to a degree. Yet when the mana hit his soul started to absorb the mana as a beast would. His mind and body were unprepared and would've dissolved if not for the System's assistance. It realigned his mind and body as that of a brand new creature, one which is unnamed as of yet due to the incompletion of our race. Now, this is where it gets complicated. Connor, as most humans would, denied his true self with quite a lot of fervor and leading to a mental split. One half becoming me and the other remaining him. So technically, I am the real Connor and whenever Humie here can accept his newfound lack of humanity we will remerge and finish our evolution. "

" Oh. Ok. That is not a confusing set of events at all. Acceptable, I guess. Still kind've a cruel twist of fate isn't it." Oswald responded, coolly. " Speaking of confusing. Jess was doing magic earlier."

A look of utter confusion later, and seeing his sister's cat LITERALLY jumping into the nearby shadows around Oswald's legs before jumping right out of an entirely different shadow. " Are you fucking kidding me? Can you do magic, Oz? The fuck. I refuse to believe that a random cat is better at magic than me. Please tell me that my new magical cat friend is vastly inferior to my new talking magic scorpion. Can you do magic, dude?" Connor shouted, utterly bewildered at Jess' continued shadow leaps around and around Oswald's legs.

" Yes. I can do magic. I am innately attuned to both Earth and Dark magics. I have correlated mana abilities. Do you not?" Oswald asked in return.

" No. No, I can not do magic. I haven't suddenly awakened literal magical abilities. Why have you?" Connor, still freaking out at the prospect of literal fucking magic, asked the friendly neighborhood magic scorpion.

" You have a mana-attuned body correct? It gives beast's an innate connection with mana and automatically unlocks said beast's magical abilities. Just reach out to it." Oswald told him, a little condescendingly as he really expected such a potently powerful beast to be connected to his magic already.

At those words, Connor suddenly felt it all around. He could almost reach out and touch it. Eyes closed and yet clearly sensing the surrounding environment. The pressure on his skin. Different scents within it. Some light, airy and aromatic. Some like crackling ozone. Another smelling the same as coals after a log fire. After what like forever, Connor felt three, in particular, responding to his senses. One bright, colorful filled with strength and yet endlessly variable. The color of mana itself shaping the magical affinity to light cobalt. A second darker more cruel affinity lying underneath the first. A vicious, vindictive affinity colored a sickly grey and seeming illusory yet deadly. Connor was not the only one sensing the mana however.

Other Connor was sensing for mana as well. Feeling along the same way Connor was grasping like an infant into the volatile mana surrounding the world. While he saw Connor grasping the affinities he held and yet there was something else. A pale, golden background overlapping the entirety of the mana nearby. This. This was his affinity. He reached for it reaching out for the hidden and yet obvious affinity in the mana. It burned. His senses shying away only the feeling of bright endless mana burning away the world in golden flames. Scalding the sky itself as he reached back in refusing to give in. Grappling with the affinity one more time pulling it into himself aggressively when suddenly the affinity changed. It felt familiar, the barest silhouette of a Being visible if powerful enough entities were watching, and began pouring into Connor's body. The mana burning through his veins clearing out any hint of blockages before thickening into a syrupy consistency constantly flowing through like lava.

Mana Sense acquired

Mana Manipulation Acquired

Affinities:

Curse, Minor; Acquired

Force, Major; Acquired

Sun, Supreme; Acquired

The blue boxes clouded his vision as he awakened. A groan escaping Connor's mouth as he sat up from the ground.

Ah. Shit. How long was I out?

No idea.

Oh. You weren't a dream. Neat.

The question rephrased verbally, Connor asked " How long was I out?"