Kael settled under the shade of a tree, his gaze fixed on the Skill card for Berserk Charger in one hand. In his other hand, he gently held a small crystal, about the size of his finger, emitting a faint stream of grey essence. The blue card glimmered in the sunlight, revealing an image of the rat beast Kael had slain, along with ancient script etched below it.
"Let's see what I can get from these," Kael murmured as a holographic screen materialized before him.
[Consuming Feral Tier Gene Crystal [Half Mutated]]
[Consuming Feral Tier Mutated Skill: Berserk Charger]
As Kael perused the notifications, the grey energy from the crystal intensified, enveloping his entire body like eerie veins. Goosebumps prickled his skin at the crystal's unsettling behavior. Instantly after the crystal's activation, the skill card began to dissolve into shimmering essence particles that swirled around him.
Kael inhaled deeply as his body gradually turned crimson with the grey essence seeping inside him. He exhibited symptoms reminiscent of when he had forcefully absorbed energy during the battle with the rat. The grey essence infiltrated each cell of his body, causing a jolt of pain to surge through him.
"Ahh, why does it hurt so much now?" Kael exclaimed as he collapsed onto the grass.
The essence penetrated his form, obliterating erratic cells and transforming them into essence while causing the remaining cells to become more spacious and rigid. With each passing moment, Kael oozed globs of blood, his eyes shifting to a shade of crimson as his body swelled with severed veins.
As time went by, the essence seeped deeper into Kael's cells, changing the very fabric of his genes. It was rewriting his genetic code, planting new information within.
Our genes are like a map for our bodies, determining everything from how we look to our unique quirks and hidden talents. This genetic blueprint is present in every living thing, from tiny bacteria to massive trees. It shapes our abilities and sets limits on our strength. But now Kael's genes were undergoing a transformation. The grey essence was blending rat-beast traits into his DNA, giving him powers reminiscent of the beast.
The process continued until the grey essence ran out, leaving Kael overwhelmed by pain that rendered him unable to move. Once the pain subsided, he briefly experienced relief.
However, just then, swirling particles from the Skill card surged into his heart. "Oh no, this pain is going to kill me," he muttered before slipping into unconsciousness.
Kael had never experienced a fainting spell before, not even in the face of death or during intense battles. However, the sheer agony he felt now was both debilitating and empowering.
While Kael lay unconscious, the particles from the Skill card worked diligently to heal his injured body, infusing it with vitality. Once the process was complete, a notification chimed in.
Congratulations, host, for advancing to feral-tier cultivation. Hidden quest accomplished; taking the initial steps towards divinity.
Rewards: A basic steel sword and a system perk called Shop.
Congratulations, host, on acquiring a new skill, Berserk Charger.
The sun had fully set, and Kael was still left under the tree alone. Being in the Vintage Dome meant there was no threat of beast attacks, which was fortunate for Kael, who didn't have a house to return to.
The Next Day
The sun rose slowly as people went out for their hunts. Kael was still on the ground, in a deep sleep, with the cold morning breeze blowing on his face.
The sounds of people walking towards the entrance woke Kael from his slumber. He groaned irritably as he sat up.
"Who is disturbing my sleep?" he muttered.
Suddenly, his eyes widened as he began checking his body. "Why am I sleeping here? How are my wounds? Did I get any new powers or that skill?" Various thoughts raced through his mind, but all he got was silence.
"System, show my status," Kael ordered, as he couldn't wait for the system itself to reply. Instantly, his new information appeared before him.
Name: Kael
Gene: Feral Tier - Human Gene
Attributes:
Attack (ATK): 10
Speed (SPD): 9
Defence (DEF): 6
Affinity: Null
Skills:
Basic Swordsmanship
Berserk Charger: When used, this skill drastically increases the user's attributes for a short period, especially attack and speed. [Acquired from half-mutated RotFang Rat]
Essence Manipulation [Novice Stage]: The user can manipulate essence in their surroundings at will. [Novice level has drastic restrictions; essence can only flow within the user's body]
A faint grin formed on Kaels lips. "Yeah, this is exactly what I desire. And I even received more than I anticipated. But why has my gene name changed to Feral Tier? Is it some sort of mutation or something?" he pondered.
Perceiving Kaels bewilderment the system offered a concise explanation.
"There are four tiers in each realm; Feral Tier, Elite, Alpha and Prime. The host must progress through these tiers to complete PT 1 (Primordial Terrene 1) and advance to PT 2. Each level within these four tiers surpasses the one making the evolution process more intricate and humans more potent.
[Hint; Even the lowest tier beast in PT 2 surpasses the highest tier beast in PT 1. So don't even entertain thoughts of PT 3, 4, or 5.]
As Kael absorbed this information he sat down, holding his head. "Perhaps the second death wasn't as excruciating as first. Why is this becoming increasingly challenging?" A tear escaped from one of his eyes.
"Enhancing all my abilities across these realms will require more, than my present lifetime," he mused feeling utterly disheartened.
After a pause for reflection Kael rose to his feet wearing an expression. "For now I should persist with what I'm doing."
With that Kael set off on another journey although his expression lacked his usual enthusiasm. As he stepped out of the entrance he took a look at the map. "This time I should steer clear of that rat infested place. They were just waiting for me to show up. How could they not be upset after I took out their formidable ally?"
While searching for options, Kael stumbled upon a forest area called Beginners Field 2 [Tanglewood Forest].
"Haa another beginners field. This will do for now" he thought as he made his way to the forest following the map and reading notifications that had popped up during his unconsciousness.
"Hmm I have things" he remarked casually walking while glancing at the screen. Congratulations, host, for advancing to feral-tier cultivation. Hidden quest accomplished; taking the initial steps towards divinity.
Rewards: A basic steel sword and a system perk called Shop.
Congratulations, host, on acquiring a new skill, Berserk Charger.
He tapped on the names of the steel sword and Shop perk simultaneously. Two screens materialized one showcasing a rotating image of a common steel sword with a dull sheen and standard sharpness. The other screen remained empty apart, from an array of cards featuring lock symbols. As Kael scrolled down numerous cards appeared starting with blue ones followed by red, purple, and finally gold cards all adorned with lock symbols.
Despite scrolling through the blue cards swiftly they appeared to be never ending. He attempted to locate a tiny scroll bar next to the cards, but it proved difficult to spot. Kael witnessed a seemingly endless array of cards racing by, with only their hues catching his attention. At the end of the gold cards, he came across a message.
Enter PT-2 to unlock further cards.
"What? This store is of no use to me at the moment," Kael grumbled as he scrolled past the shop interface, his lips curling up in annoyance. Only the steel sword was left. Just then, a notification popped up.
Steel sword stored in Pocket Storage. Would you like to withdraw it?
The message brought a smile to Kaels face. "This system really gets me. Alright, fine, Ill take it out."
The screen displaying the sword distorted into pixels gradually forming the shape of a sword with each pixel appearing one by one. A brilliant light radiated from it blinding Kael momentarily and causing him to halt in his tracks.
Once the light faded away it revealed the steel sword hovering in mid air. With this weapon, I can conquer the beginners field. Kael thought as he grasped the floating sword, feeling its weight compared to the stick he had wielded earlier.
This sword suits my abilities perfectly, he remarked, resuming his journey towards the forest.
Kael stepped into the woods, where the sounds of creatures filled the air and an eerie, dark mist loomed over the trees. "This forest isn't as big as I thought. The dome was much more spacious," he quietly remarked.
Just as he made his way deeper into the woods, a voice echoed out to him. "Hey there, kid who battled the mutated rat."
Kael turned in the direction of the voice, taken aback. He never anticipated encountering something like this.