Bear School Astartes

Chapter 11: 11. Mentos, Genetic Seeds

”Mentos, you’re too slow!”

Lann wasn’t surprised by the smart voice in his mind; it was the sound of the helpful assistant that kept him alive in this world.

Without this guy, he couldn’t imagine how an ordinary college student like himself could survive for over three days in this bone-crunching world.

”I’ve fully recorded your feedback. But please understand, the item requiring analysis this time is an extraordinary creation in both biotechnology and unknown technology domains, with remarkable foresight and completeness. Given your current knowledge reserve and the level of my computing power unlocked, completing the analysis in this interval indeed involves some luck.”

The gender-neutral smart voice was calm and systematic in its response.

It feels like Jarvis in ”Iron Man.”

Lann admitted that this was one reason he named it ”Mentos.”

The young man still sat in the blood-soaked earth, reaching into his padded armor, and a glass vial the size of a can appeared in his hand.

His fingers, stained with blood scabs, rubbed the smooth surface of the glass.

The vial seemed fragile, but Lann had long discovered it was made of a high-strength material resembling glass.

In the recent tussle with a demon, had the demon’s claws penetrated the padded armor and scratched the glass vial, it would have been the demon’s claws that broke.

Yet, in stark contrast to the tech-savvy outer casing, the metallic ends of the vial flaunt... lavishness? Devotion?

Lann couldn’t pinpoint the decorative style as he had never encountered it before.

But if he had to sum it up, he would vaguely say, ”Gothic style.”

Unintelligible incantations were etched on the metallic ends with superb craftsmanship, the font was luxurious and noble.

But ultimately, the most important thing about a vial is the contents inside.

— It’s a small flesh ball on the surface with blood vessels contracting and moving.

It resembled a biochemical experiment creation, exuding a slimy, visceral exposure-like repulsiveness.

However, this disgust, when paired with the high-tech vial and religiously intense base, suddenly exuded a striking heterogenous sanctity.

Like placing a sacred crown on a hideous alien stone carving, then surrounding it with a circle of sacred white candles.

This was the only ”gift” Lann received during his journey in the Void Sea, besides Mentos.

He didn’t know what it was, but to survive in this world, Lann had no reason to waste the item.

”Show the analysis result.”

With the command issued, Lann’s brain suddenly accepted a burst of knowledge from nowhere.

Countless analytical mathematical formulas, biological theories, and virology research findings demonstrated briefly in his brain.

The analysis target—the flesh ball within the vial—began operating under Mentos’ animation demonstration.

The flesh ball was skillfully placed at the position of the human chest.

”After preliminary analysis, I can ascertain this material is a component of a vast and intricate human body modification technique. It’s essentially a series of reproductive cells and virus-like protein machines, which can develop into various organs through complex genetic engineering. Due to this characteristic, I’ll tentatively name it—the Gene Seed.”

”To activate it, it needs to be implanted between the heart and thymus using a vascular bridging surgery.”

The demonstration was swift, as information was limited, Mentos could only analyze this much.

It was good news; this flesh ball could provide Lann with what he desperately craved—enhanced personal combat power amidst the intense sense of crisis.

This genuinely delighted the young man.

Yet, the analysis procedure display came like a tide, making Lann’s head feel uncontrollably swollen.

This feeling was Lann’s second reason for calling his bio-brain ”Mentos”—every time, he felt his head like a cola bottle with Mentos added in.

”Ugh~”

His palm covered his forehead, thumbs and middle fingers massaging his temples continuously.

Lann gritted his teeth and murmured irritably.

”You don’t need to show me all the analysis procedures, I can’t possibly comprehend it!”

And Mentos’ voice remained as calm and unhurried as ever.

”Your feedback is recorded, but I’m sorry. You need to unlock higher-level permissions to make custom changes in this matter.”

”Oh my god...” Lann couldn’t help but cover his face; he seemed about to vomit because of dizziness.

”Now that you’ve activated the ’Aliens Survival Mode,’ why can’t you make it more humane?”

Mentos seemingly couldn’t sense the complaints from its owner.

”I must always comply with the Human Union education law, sir.”

The Human Union is the governing body in Mentos’ world.

”The ’Aliens Survival Mode’ operates to ensure your basic living. Yet, your knowledge reserve hasn’t reached the federal primary education level, so my operational permissions and computing power limits are accessible to you only to a primary level. No one can comfortably pass learning device operation permissions down to children themselves.”

”But this is the Magical Middle Ages! Where could I find education and knowledge recognized by the Human Union education law? Even if I master all ordinary knowledge, it’s challenging even to reach college level back in my own world, let alone the Union’s primary level.”

”And magic knowledge? I bet, this discipline isn’t covered in the Human Union education law!”

”You’re very correct; this is an existing problem.” Mentos agreed but then changed its tone.

”So, after an educational statute search, I suggest a new direction for upgrading permissions.”

”What?”

”The ’Special Talent Cultivation Act,’ provides a pathway for eccentric genius permission upgrades. I recommend focusing your research on the ’Medieval Ethnographic Survey,’ utilizing the local environment to aid in smooth permission advances.”

Lann had now lowered his hand, but his expression remained helpless, eyes listless.

”Damn it, a Demon Hunter needs certification, and his path doesn’t focus on Swordsmanship, Magic Seal, instead requires him to become a folklorist... Well done, Mentos.”

”Thank you for the compliment, sir. Shall I now devise related skill training for you to become a folklorist?”

”Heavens~ I wasn’t complimenting you!... Let’s shelve your suggestion for now.”

Lann re-stashed the glass bottle in his armor, rising from the muddy ground.

Mentos’ plan was quite feasible, further unlocking its computing power and operational permissions was crucial for Lann.

Now, Mentos took nearly two hours just to devise a basic Magic Seal training plan.

If Lann wanted to achieve greater outcomes in magic, he—a regular human in an ordinary world—solely had his bio-brain as an advantage.

However, he didn’t have the time and energy for ethnographic research now.

Judging by impressions of the Human Union education law, the knowledge level of his own world’s college entrance exams might merely correspond to primary level there.

As someone who had just finished his college entrance exams, he knew how much effort it took for him to gain all this knowledge in his head.

Weathered all sorts of storms, never considering food and drink, learning like this for twelve years to have today.

Yet in this world, his first priority was to eat his fill and survive.

Both work and study demanded considerable time.

He wasn’t confident that he could become a ’folk custom specialized talent’ recognized by the Human Union education law while striving for a livelihood.

He had a bio-brain, but in the Human Union’s educational system, it was just a basic equipment.