Chapter 310
Change (2)
Sitting in the massive canteen around a table meant for four, Henry, IAM, Reuel, and Yohan were all digging into their food during their break, the noise of conversation and clattering trays filling the space around them.
IAM watched as Reuel picked up a piece of food unique to Holem, something that couldn't be found on Earth. It resembled a bun at first glance, but inside was a jelly-like substance that somehow carried the flavor of chicken and cheese.
Reuel offered him a bite, and IAM accepted. The experience was strange in a way he hadn't expected. The flavor exploded across his taste buds, heat carrying a tangy sweetness that blended with the savory taste, while the smell wafted upward and intensified the sensation.
It was undeniably delicious, but the texture gave him pause. The jelly-like consistency made it feel unfamiliar, almost unsettling, even as he reached the conclusion that he genuinely liked it.
It reminded IAM that he was in a new world, and that he hadn't been experiencing it to its full extent. He had been so caught up in becoming an Ascender, along with everything else that came with it, that he rarely tried foods unique to the planet. Instead, he usually chose meals that were almost identical to those from Earth, simply because they felt safe.
But wasn't that boring?
He was quite literally in a completely different world. If that was the case, then he needed to start acting like it. He resolved to put in more effort—to try new things, new foods, and new experiences, rather than hiding behind familiarity.
That thought led him to another realization, one that had quietly been forming in the back of his mind. It centered around a misunderstanding he had carried with him about this world itself.
It had to do with the process of becoming an Ascender. One had to forcibly absorb mana through pores and pore-like openings, a process that caused an almost inhuman amount of pain.
At the time, IAM had assumed that the humans here simply had far more mental strength than the people on Earth—enough to endure that unbearable agony and successfully form an Avien.
But over time, he realized that wasn't the only difference.
The truth was… the humans here weren't exactly… human. They were definitely human, but not quite like humans from Earth.
IAM had neglected one crucial fact: the planet he was on was literally the size of the Sun. That meant there were conditions completely unlike anything humans from Earth had evolved to handle.
Much of it came down to one of the most fundamental omnipotent forces: gravity.
Gravity on a planet with the size and mass of the Sun was exponentially stronger than on Earth. While Earth's gravity measured 1g, the gravity on Holem was 28g. Normal humans would be crushed almost instantly, flattened under the weight before they even had a chance to touch the ground.
To survive, everything had to be stronger and denser—including humans. Their bones, muscles, skin, and even height had to be many times stronger to withstand the crushing gravity.
On this Sun-sized planet, humans walked and lived much as they did on Earth. Their bodies, minds, and daily routines were perfectly familiar, only magnified hundreds of times. To them, a tree swaying in the wind, a mountain towering in the distance, or a river flowing across the land felt normal, just like home, because everything in their immediate world scaled with them.
Yet from an outside perspective, the planet was unimaginably vast. The mountains, rivers, and forests that seemed ordinary to the humans were, in reality, incomprehensibly larger than anything on Earth. Even everyday objects were extraordinary: a simple metal spoon, perfectly sized for a human hand, was composed of material so dense and strong that it would be indestructible by normal Earth standards. Unbendable, unbreakable—yet in the hands of someone on this massive planet, it felt light and manageable.
The world was colossal, but the humans experienced it as balanced and ordinary, because every material, every object, and every living thing scaled perfectly with them. The giant planet looming beyond felt enormous only to an outside observer.
This meant IAM wasn't actually six feet one. In reality, he would have to be roughly 665 feet tall—about the size of two Big Bens stacked on top of each other. It was an insane concept to grasp.
This also meant when IAM referred to something as five inches, that measurement only applied to Holem; by Earth's standards, it would be vastly bigger.
Humans here were perfectly normal by Holem standards, but on Earth, they wouldn't even begin to compare. Things that one would call plastic or glass on Holem were actually composed of entirely different, denser, and stronger materials when judged by Earthly standards.
If a normal person—let alone an Ascender—were to land on Earth, they would wreak absolute havoc. Their strength, size, and durability would be far beyond anything the planet could handle.
So IAM had been wrong to assume that the humans on Holem simply had stronger mental strength. No—it wasn't their minds that made them endure the pain; it was their bodies. Their physiology could withstand forces and agony that would crush anyone from Earth.
This made IAM's own ability all the more mind-shattering. Coming from Earth, he had the mental strength to endure pain that was many, many times greater than anything anyone could survive back home. Even most humans on Holem—accustomed to the extreme conditions of their planet—couldn't handle it.
When IAM first arrived, he had thought of himself as average, far beneath the normal people of this world in mental resilience. But the truth was impossible to ignore: his endurance was astronomically high. It was completely unthinkable that someone from Earth could withstand such torment—but somehow, he did.
IAM now began to wonder if he truly was as normal as he had always believed. Ever since arriving on this world, he had questioned what could have possibly drawn the attention of the being that brought him here. Perhaps this—this absurd, impossible mental resilience—was one of the reasons.
With that misunderstanding finally cleared, IAM glanced down at the spoon in his hand. It was an ordinary utensil by Holem's standards, yet its material was so dense and resilient that, if taken to Earth, it could likely withstand forces that would shatter steel with ease. He turned it slightly, watching the light reflect off its surface, before dipping it into the soup in front of him.
So humans here weren't exactly human—at least not by Earth's definition. Their bodies were many times stronger and denser, built to endure crushing gravity, and they were born with something called a core that allowed them to become ascenders.
And yet, despite all of that, they were incomparably close to the humans IAM had known. Their emotions, habits, conversations, and daily lives felt familiar, almost comforting.
Different… but not alien.
IAM's thoughts were interrupted by Reuel, who said, "Are you okay, IAM? You kept groaning in your sleep last night… I could barely get any rest because of that." His tone sounded more like a complaint than genuine worry.
IAM paused for a moment. "Oh… I was just busy thinking about the Council Trials. So I couldn't sleep. Sorry."
With a hearty laugh, Reuel grabbed his bicep with a grin. "Don't worry! With your big brother here, you don't have to stress about a thing."
"Well… we don't even know what the trial is about, so yes, I am worried. I don't even know how I'm supposed to plan," IAM said, who subconsciously rubbed his neck.
"All we can do is our best," Henry said, his expression sincere. "And if it's possible, we'll do everything we can to help you."
IAM glanced at Yohan, who nodded in agreement, and then at Reuel, who smirked. He let out a soft sigh and smiled. "Thanks, guys."