"Become my food obediently, you can't escape, hahaha!"

  Swinging the two spiked flagella at its sides, obliterating yet another cluster of mindlessly huddling prey (though, admittedly, Jal, the microcell, also lacks any brain structure), the main consciousness laughed arrogantly in its mind.

  Sensing that the prey around it was dwindling, the entire body gradually came to a stop.

  "Huh! It seems my perception has expanded, my movements are much easier, and my thoughts are faster. Have I become a multicellular organism? But why is there no notification?"

  Waving its three flagella again, Jal felt it no longer needed to control each cell individually, although it hadn’t yet reached the agility of flagella movement from its single-cell days.

  The arrangement of cells was more compact and rational. However, other movements, though easier, still required conscious control. Except for the nutrient circulation within the body, which no longer required meticulous focus and wouldn’t stop as long as the body moved, other actions hadn’t reached the level of instinctive movement.

  "It seems I haven't fully completed the transition, but I’m on the right track."

  Jal twisted the body slightly, finding no cells lagging or out of place.

  "I need to keep practicing until fine control becomes instinctual, allowing the subconscious to manage basic actions. The main consciousness should only focus on controlling the flagella, mouth, and major body movements."

  Feeling optimistic about its nutrient gains, the microcell—still aptly named—prepared to leave the area.

  A space filled with scattered debris like this was dangerous; encountering another multicellular organism...

  “Oh no. Run!”

  At the edge of Jal's greatly expanded perception, a multicellular organism with massive steel pincers had somehow spotted it and was charging.

  While the structure remained intact, Jal sensed the trembling throughout the cells as they propelled the entire body. The flagella movements became more agile, but the patched-together multicellular organism couldn’t match the real—or even enhanced—version's speed.

  The creature behind it, although slender compared to Jal’s now massive body, moved gracefully as it closed in.

  "Those big pincers?"

  Sensing the pincers leading the creature, Jal was puzzled. Have skeletal components already appeared?

  “It’s a lot faster and longer than the split-mouth.”

  The split-mouth had left a strong impression on Jal, despite it being a multicellular organism from perhaps billions of years ago.

  “Damn, this thing is just like a giant flagellum with huge pincers.”

  “No, am I going to fail at the doorstep of the multicellular world again?”

  Despair washed over Jal as it frantically waved its flagella, struggling against this powerful foe at the moment of becoming multicellular.

  The pincers closed in. Jal narrowly dodged the initial strike with a side twist, but the right flagellum's tip was snapped—not pinched—by the pincer. The dying electrode cells released a faint electric current through the electrode network to Jal's body, intensifying its fear. Nutrient fluids slowly leaked from the rupture, but Jal had no time to manage cell compression or division to heal, letting the precious fluids escape.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  After darting forward a bit, the pincer adjusted smoothly, redirecting towards Jal.

  Heightened by adrenaline, Jal registered its foe’s predatory intent, akin to its own when targeting single-cell prey with some defense.

  “No—”

  As the pincers closed in, Jal opened its mouth for a desperate counterbite.

  “If I die, I’ll take you with me.”

  “I won’t rebuild the formation!”

  “I won’t wait another few billion years!”

  “I won’t...”

  The wide mouth enveloped the approaching pincer, and the pincers also managed to snag Jal's lower jaw.

  However, it couldn't continue its attack.

  For a split second, time seemed eternal.

  In that instant, the genuine article and the imitation collided, releasing a burst of intense light that illuminated the dark abyss, blinding Jal’s eye cells—two black gemstone “dog eyes”—and disoriented the unfortunate pincer foe.

  At this moment, gratitude was due to the great administration, the fair system, the beloved 8051, and... ahem, moving on.

  Upon biting down, though the spikes didn’t pierce the foe’s skin and some cells even skewed from the pressure,

  the spikes ceased to matter because the electrode cells throughout Jal’s body released a massive electric current, surging through the network and bursting in the severed flagellum tip and the spike-laden mouth with brilliant arcs.

  Instantly electrocuted, the unfortunate pincer foe shuddered violently until the current ceased, and it sagged.

  Yet, tense Jal feared it hadn’t finished the job.

  Thus, the hapless pincer was zapped repeatedly into stiffness, then limp, stiff again, limp again... repeated merely thrice—farewell.

  Sensing its opponent was near carbonization, Jal halted, the body drained, with much of its freshly acquired nutrients spent in those shocks.

  “Hahaha, payback time at last.”

  “How dare you attack me? I’m a great microcell with electrode components.”

  “I finally took down a multicellular creature, hahaha.”

  Shaking the limp multicellular body in its bite, Jal slowly removed its mouth from the opponent.

  “Trying to eat me, huh?”

  “Such a big piece of food.”

  “I’ll eat you! Hmph.”

  Just as Jal detached its mouth, it tried to re-bite, but—

  "Hmm, too hard, the spikes can't puncture."

  After several futile attempts, Jal was speechless, finding its soft mouth and short spikes unable to tear pieces from the multicellular prey's tough dermal defenses.

  Swallow it whole?

  Tragically, its digestive tract lacked stomach acid, neither fitting nor digesting such prey.

  “I refuse to accept this.”

  Resolute, Jal triggered another burst of electricity, finally fragmenting the pincer into manageable pieces.

  Swallowing a suitably sized segment, Jal used its spikes to bypass the epidermis, slowly chewing on the tough meal.

  “Only now do I realize the struggle of toothless elders eating. I’m worse off.”

  Realizing it must break food into small pieces to be absorbed by digestive cells filled Jal with “tears” of frustration.

  “Where are stomach acid and teeth?”

  [New DNA Sequence Acquired, Initiate Division and Enter Biological Editing Space]

  "Ah!"

  Mid-chew, Jal was startled by a system prompt.

  “I can’t enter now, need a safe place first.”

  Glancing around, no immediate threats emerged in its expanded sensory field.

  "Right, a recent discharge might attract more enemies. I'm unsure if I can down another."

  Mouth clamping another large morsel, Jal focused on healing the damaged flagellum by cell division, reluctant to leave the remaining mass behind.

  “This meal already fills me up!”

  Resolute, Jal turned, gripping the meat in its mouth, and vigorously waved its flagella, making a swift exit.

  “I’ll adjust the digestive tract later to hold larger chunks. No more wastefulness.”

  Regretfully watching the shrinking meat heap, Jal thought bitterly.

  "Waste is shameful!"

  “During the first electric burst, the damaged flagellum tip also sparked. Concentrating electrode cells throughout my body was potent; I'll group them at the flagella tips for multicellular opponents, creating a lateral electric shock option.”

  “Yes, another attack method.”

  “Though it depletes nutrients, it’s a lifeline against multicellular foes. I’ll deal with the aftermath by finding more food.”

  Taking action swiftly, Jal maneuvered its flagella while directing electrode cells to replicate and converge at two side flagella tips.

  “Now I’m a tentacle monster, hoho.”

  Feeling the tips laden with electrodes and elongated flagella, Jal mused weakly. The meat in its mouth would wait for quieter times to chew on.

  "Ugh, not even saliva to soften food."

  As it mused, Jal’s body condensed, flank flagellum tips adorned with electrodes emerging, while digestive cells divided to expand digestive capacity.

  Time drifted by.

  In the silent space, music played, as pale blue electric flashes flickered across Jal’s body deep in training.

  Jal sensed changes around its original single-cell form, as nearby cells and certain internal structures shifted.

  Then, the awaited system prompt.

  [After a nearly eleven-billion-year evolution, your species has undergone numerous splits and finally embarks on its journey towards becoming a multicellular organism. Enter the biological editor and bid farewell to the single-cell world.]

  [Entering Biological Editor, Main Consciousness Restrictions Lifted]

  "I'm back!"