The first steps taken it didn’t take lang for the first roadblock to appear. 

The path ended, looking around with a 360° vision told him he had to go up. 

‘First stop, a floor higher.’  

Jumping from one rock formation that stood out to the next. He arrived shortly and couldn’t believe just how capable this new body was even though he should know.  Meeting two stone creatures that were apparently praying for something, he continued, on his way. 
Now a bit jumping and climbing later he found, a single arm fused to a wall in font to him that was constantly pushing all that approached it’s reach away.  

Noel knew that here he had to learn how to absorb, like a black hole. 
‘Now or never’, in game on just had to press Q but now, now Noel was usure if he could just learn, an eldritch abominations basic manipulation of gravity or if he was screwed.  

Since his play with teleportation, triggered by just a wish, he wasn’t without confident. 
So, he surrendered to the system walked forward and just as the arm was reaching him thought, absorb.  
Instantly his head enlarged his body hardened, and the arm drawn to it, caught crushed and absorbed as tiny pebbles, the wall along with it. 

[gained Mass 100] 

[Entry added Frail Arm] 

[1/3 Frail Arms] 

Noel was ecstatic, it worked the Frail Arm was absorbed its mass added to his own. Dancing on his next steps, about his first slain enemy and the many more to come, if he was right about this world, and it was as messed up as in the game.  
After he heard a Stone head talking to itself about how wrong its head was, he remembered this was a world of suffering and just because on is a stone golem or living rock formation doesn't mean one can’t suffer.  

 Waking a few more steps down the giant flights of stairs, a vase with a arm blocked the way but what works usually works twice. Absorbing it he keeps on taking a few more steps to more living rock creatures.  The ground gives out under him. 

Panik flashed through his mind, it stopped before he could even realize what happened, ten meters he fell, the one of the creatures also fell, it wasn’t moving anymore. Everything besides it oversized head turned to fine gravel.  
With no clear way up, continued the descend it wasn’t a slow climb a jump, and he saw the next arm at the end of a tunnel, dealing with it like before.  

[gained Mass 100] 
[1/5 Frail Arms] 

Now he could ascend again. After a bit of a climb, he found a ladder, or rather a semi-natural formation that resembled on.  
Jumping twice his on size into the air he could from there get to next ledge. The tunnel opened up to a larger cave.  
The most noteworthy thing was the giant shimmering crystal in its center, the second one was that far too many creatures surrounded the crystal with heads bowed down and hands together, praying.  
“Agitator of being....” 
“Sky” “breaker” 
“Spurrer” 
Noel approached the crystal, and slammed his fist into it, in order to crack it. In the game this was the equivalent to lighting a bonfire in dark souls, a save station, in which he could grow or level up now, he had to try.  

‘If I am captured, I will be forced into immortal, unbreaking flesh, which will torture me till the last sun of this world blows out, which might be sooner rather than later.’ 

‘Let’s see if I can level up’ 

With cracks along its surface, Noels matter could now force its way into it. 
Once inside all he felt was warmth and kindness he didn’t understand.  

‘It’s warm, like a hug’ 

Noel couldn’t cry but he could try. His System interface opened it showed [Grow] and [Leave]. He selected to grow and their stood his 5 attributes [Health] [Force] [Strength] [Dexterity] and [Resonance]. He selected [Resonance] for 142 Mass. Gaining his first Stat point.  
Part of him wondered why [Resonance] but he knew that later it would completely blow out of proportions if one builds around it, since he usually goes for a self-healing agility-based tank.

Now he was going to build an all-absorbing menace.  Plus, latter he would have to trigger a trap so that the final boss would reveal himself and he must use his natural abilities to reject matter and control gravity in order to escape it, that was then in a game, how things are now he didn’t know. 

Exiting the Surrogate crystal, he started looking around, for things to collect because he needed a weapon and armor to defend himself. Finding some Levolam Dust, that could always transport him back to the crystal and unformed finger he could absorbs for a 100 mass. Which he did, and immediately headed back to the Surrogate. And for 241 Mass took another level in [Resonance].  

‘Let’s see those Stats’  

Stats: 0 0 0 0 2 
Health: 100  
Breath Heal: 80  
Force: 60  
Force Regen: 28  
 
Now actual seeing how little he had, he made himself on his way kill, no to level up and consume, all to refuse the acknowledgment that him seeing his family and human civilization ever again became increasingly unlikely.  
Sow going the only way he hasn’t, yet he made his way up absorbing a Crawler for 9 Mass a Frail Arm and finding some Levolam Dust. 
[1/8 Crawler] 

Going up once more encountered a particular Boulderhead that used colors as make up and wore violets leaves around its neck.  
Yon instantly said “Disappear You ugly thing! You....” 

Noel ’I’m not that ugly’, tried to say, but without a mouth he couldn’t verbalize his thoughts.  

Yon “O H! Beautiful Perfection!” 

Noel ‘Thank you, I know I’m beautiful, even in this body.’ 

Yon “AH! Forgive me! For a moment I thought, you would be one of my the deformed and repulsive brothers” 

Noel ‘They aren’t that repulsive but thank you for talking, even if I am going to kill you later. One way or the other you always die, like everything else.’ 

Yon “But no, you are nothing like them! Your proportions are amazing” 

Noel ‘I really needed that it has been such a long and hard day. Considering I am missing my dick or my flesh in general, but-’ 

Yon “Oh …. Flawless one.... Please let me serve you, I can be of use, I promise!” 

Noel ‘I couldn’t say no even if I tried, I don’t know how to make the air vibrate yet, to mimic voices.'

Yon “I will..... I will search after all, what can be of use to you! Yes! I will surprise you with a Present that is divine attention worthy” 

Noel ‘It will be the very weapon I will kill you with won’t it’ 

“Hihi” Yon said as he disappeared behind a wall. 

Noel only thought to himself how good someone trying to initiate contact felt, even when it was a bizarre, deformed rock, that still somewhat enjoyed life. Having taken his mind of the seriousness of his situation, he allowed himself to venture further.