As the sun dipped below the horizon, a tranquil darkness enveloped the forest. Adam lay still, the world around him fading into a soft murmur. His body, now larger and denser.
He had grown to an impressive length of 40 feet, yet his height remained unchanged. In this transformation, he had shed all his plumage and feathers, embracing a new, more formidable form.
System Interface Activated
Name: Adam
Species: Tyrannosaurus Rex
Age: 100 days
Evolution Points: 17,487
Special Titles:
KinSlayer: Grants a 20% damage boost against family members
Stats:
Strength: 20 → 30
Agility: 16 → 18
Intelligence: 11
Abilities Lost:
[Glide]
Abilities:
[Enhanced Vision]
[Slightly Hardened Claws]
[Slightly Sharper Teeth]
[Night Vision]
Points Required for Minimal Evolution: 1,000 (increases with each evolution)
Potential Evolution Pathways:
Predatory Instincts: Enhance hunting capabilities.
Physical Augmentation: Increase strength and agility.
Cognitive Development: Boost intelligence.
Warning: Evolution is a double-edged sword. Each transformation may alter your instincts and desires. Choose wisely.
"System, why hasn't my height increased at all?" Adam asked, a hint of frustration in his voice.
[Ding]
[First, congratulations, host! You have reached the end of your evolutionary path. Further evolution is no longer possible.]
"End of my evolutionary path? Are you telling me I'm stuck like this and can't evolve anymore?" Adam's voice rose in disbelief.
[Yes, host. You can no longer evolve further, as you have reached the end of your evolutionary path, starting from the red-tailed hawk to your current form. This also marks the natural size limit of your species. However, this outcome was anticipated by the creator.
You now have multiple options for continuing your growth. You can create a hybrid by incorporating the DNA of various creatures, provided you have knowledge about them. Alternatively, you can spend points to transform into an entirely new species and restart the evolution process.]
"Say, System, what is the cost to transform into a human?" Adam asked hopefully.
[Ding]
[Transforming into a human will require 5,000,000 evolution points.]
"Why is it so costly?" Adam gaped. "That's equivalent to 5,000 humans!"
[Unlike animals, which can be incorporated at will if you have knowledge about them, transforming into a human is a highly complex process. Humans possess advanced cognitive abilities, and this transformation involves not just physical changes but also an enhancement of cognitive functions.
Furthermore, the intricacies of human DNA make it a rare and special transformation, demanding a significant investment of points. This ensures that only those truly committed to such a profound change can undertake it.]
"Let's put that on hold for now. I want to explore creating a hybrid," Adam decided. "First, what would be the total cost of using my Tyrannosaurus genome as the base and incorporating the DNA of several other creatures?"
"To increase my size, I'd like to use Giganotosaurus DNA. For body armor, I want to incorporate the American dwarf crocodile, which has armor on its upper and lower body, along with genomes from Rugops, Pycnonemosaurus, Quilmesaurus, and Viavenator. This combination should provide substantial protection against most attacks."
"For better claws and longer front limbs, I'd like to add Therizinosaurus DNA, which features long forelimbs equipped with strong, slashing claws. To improve my balance, let's incorporate cuttlefish genes. This will allow my body to withstand accelerated growth while introducing chromatophore cells in the skin, enabling me to change shape, color, and texture like a cuttlefish."
"I also want to adapt to different climates, so I'd like to add tree frog DNA. This will provide the ability to remove my thermal signature, confusing most heat-based infrared creatures.
For vision, I want to integrate pit viper snake DNA, which has special cavities in the skull for infrared vision. This will help me detect the heat signatures of prey in dark areas, making it easier to spot smaller humans as I grow in size."
"Finally, for bite force, although the Tyrannosaurus bite is formidable, I want something even more powerful. Let's add the DNA of the northern short-tailed shrew, whose jaws are loaded with fast-twitch muscles and teeth infused with high amounts of iron, giving them a distinctive red and black coloration.
This little thing is also venomous, providing a lethal combination of iron teeth and venom. It lives in a near-constant state of adrenaline, allowing me to kill faster and consume prey many times my weight, which would help me gain more points."
Some might wonder why I possess such extensive knowledge about prehistoric animals, particularly dinosaurs. It all started as a side hobby, where I initially focused on history, but then my interest shifted to lethal predators. However, I wasn't drawn to the large, loud killers.
instead, I found fascination in the silent, small creatures. It may seem hypocritical—if I have such an affinity for these diminutive beings, why do I plan to become a giant hybrid? The answer is simple: by becoming larger, I can consume more prey, gain more points, and ultimately evolve into a perfected form.
[Ding]
[Combining all these genomes will cost you a total of 1,000,000 evolution points. This is due to the complexity and rarity of the DNA you wish to incorporate. Unlike simple animal integrations, which can be done at will with sufficient knowledge, transforming into a hybrid with such diverse and powerful traits requires immense energy and precision.]
As Adam's vision turned a brilliant blue, a hologram materialized before him, displaying the potential form of his future creation. The image shimmered with vibrant colors and intricate details, but Adam quickly noticed some major flaws.
First, while not exactly a flaw, Adam thought it would be better to reduce the size of the hind legs, transforming the bipedal hybrid into a quadrupedal one. This adjustment would allow for better weight distribution on four limbs instead of two, increasing both speed and stealth. Additionally, a lower center of gravity would improve balance.
The more significant issue lay with the front limbs. Although they had become taller and stronger thanks to the Therizinosaurus DNA, the claws were too long and primarily suited for slashing. To address this, Adam decided to modify the arms with DNA from an ape, granting them opposable thumbs. This enhancement would allow the hybrid to grip, mangle, and slash powerfully. With fast-twitch muscles, these arms would be even more formidable, making any impact or throw potentially fatal.
To further refine the long, ineffective claws, he planned to incorporate DNA from Suaraphagnax. This wouldn't replace the Therizinosaurus DNA but would modify it, transforming the long blade-like claws into ones perfect for gripping. Combined with the ape-like forelimbs, these new claws would be capable of shredding through anything—Adam dared to say, even dragons.
Adam sucked in a breath of cold air. "That's approximately 1,000 people! A single village might have about 800, like the last one. But it's impossible for me to eat all of them. Even if they lined up, it would still take time. From the 800 villagers I encountered, I managed to eat about 90 or so; the rest escaped."
"How can I eat an entire village? It's impossible!" Adam roared, frustration evident in his voice as he paced back and forth. Unknown to him, he didn't need to hunt down anyone.
News of the giant monster attacking and devouring dozens of Baron Orwen's serfs—and nearly destroying the gate—had already spread. Duke Alaric von Ravenwood was amassing an army of 7,000 men, including 30 knights, to slay the beast and take its magnificent carcass as trophies.