endless path infinite cosmos Pt. 2

chapter 208

After Vahn finished wiping down his body, he noticed an itchy feeling coming from his shoulder that drew his attention. Since he had read about the ecology and attributes of all the races, Vahn knew that Cat People secreted an enzyme from their mouth when excited which would cause a wound to close quickly but prevent it from healing fully. This was how they 'marking' ceremony usually worked when the female would bite their partner. It was supposed to ward off other girls by showing them that the male was 'claimed'.

Since Vahn's body could naturally filter stuff like toxins, it had the same effect when it came to the enzymes generated by Chloe. If left as is, his body would probably naturally recover and the scar would be gone in a few hours. While he was thinking about a solution, Sis said, (*You don't need to worry about it as long as you want the mark to stay.*)

Vahn was surprised that she spoke out since Sis usually kept silent when he was interacting with others. Before he could ask, she continued, (*Remember that your body is comprised of Source Energy and your form adapts to the ideals and desires you have. As long as you want the wound to stay, it will not heal fully.*) Her words shocked Vahn because, if his deduction was correct, that would also mean that his body didn't change unless he chose...

Answering his question before he could answer it, Sis explained, (*That is indeed the case, Vahn. Though you still age, your body doesn't mature naturally in the same way as a normal person. Your constitution is closer to the gods of this world and, if you so desired, you wouldn't physically age at all.*)

Vahn remembered that, when he first came to this world, Sis had informed him that his body was always his 'ideal', but he never really considered what that meant. He initially thought she was referring to his body when he first arrived in this world and never considered that it might be the case indefinitely. That would mean that the only reason he changed at all would be because the way he saw himself changed. The reason for his inexplicable growth spurt and the physical maturation of his body was because he wanted to appear more reliable to the people around him.

As if to confirm something, Vahn asked in his mind, ("Does that mean...I can change my body however I want?") After his question fell, he could hear Sis laughing in his mind for a few seconds before she said, (*It has to be how you truly see yourself or what you genuinely wish to become. Unless your desire to change is strong enough, you wouldn't be able to change form quickly.*)

Vahn released a relieved sigh because, if he truly could change however and whenever he wanted, he was afraid that he would lose his sense of self over time. It would be easy to get caught up in being what other people wanted him to be and it would cause his relationships to develop in a strange manner. It did give him a bit of hope about the future though since he had actually been someone concerned about his own penis size. If he learned to change his own mental image, he should be able to make it 'easier' for some of his future partners to deal with.

As the thought passed through his mind, Vahn could hear Sis's bell-like laughter in his head. He had never heard her act so unreserved before and he was about to ask if anything had changed. Expecting his question, Sis responded in a 'cheerful' sounding voice, (*Other than your Soul Tier increasing, nothing much has changed with myself or the functions I have access to. I was just laughing because your concerns were very cute.*)

Vahn tried processing what she had just said and wanted to retort that there had been some kind of change given how she was acting. She just assured him that it was a result of his own mental development so Vahn eventually accepted her explanation before turning his attention back to Chloe. Though it might have seemed like a lot of time had passed, he had been conversing with Sis for the few minutes when Chloe was trying to regain her breathing and organize her thoughts.