Cybernetic Evolution System

I noticed that it had controlled its strength to minimise the damage to its surroundings.

The strength it had shown was similar to that of a mid-stage Rank One Magical beast.

If Felix's strength could increase from a Lesser Beast Rank One to Rank Two in his cybernetic beast form, then the enhanced magical beasts could also obtain an improvement in their strength.

However, I needed to thoroughly examine its strength to ensure my assumptions were correct.

Felix leapt from the tree branch and landed in front of the cybernetic-enhanced Sabre-tooth rabbit.

The cybernetic-enhanced Sabre-tooth rabbit stared at him warily, its gaze drifting towards me occasionally.

I gestured for Felix to step back while I approached it.

I knelt on the ground before it.

I sensed the intelligence within its metallic blue eyes.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, curious.

Since my connection was far weaker than Felix's, though I could sense its current emotions, it changed abruptly, so it was difficult for me to consciously discern them.

'Fine.'

The cybernetic-enhanced Sabre-tooth replied telepathically.

"What's your name?"

The cybernetic-enhanced Sabre-tooth shook his head in response.

I sensed a wave of confusion within it.

I guessed it was too much for me to ask whether a wild beast had a name of its own.

"Since you don't have a name, I'll name you CR1."

I quickly thought of a suitable name.

CR1 in full means Cybernetic Rabbit One.

Since I didn't plan on making him my tamed magic beast, and I didn't know how long it would remain alive.

"Do you like it?"

The cybernetic-enhanced Sabre-tooth was silent.

Its blue eyes flickered in thought.

Suddenly, Felix released a growl at the rabbit.

The cybernetic-enhanced Sabre-tooth trembled, almost stumbling backwards before regaining his footing.

He turned to me and nodded.

[ Name accepted: CR1. ]

[ Fusion Compatibility: +20% ]

Another system interface appeared.

I felt the connection between us strengthen, but it still wasn't as strong as the one between Felix and me.

I gently rubbed its metallic head.

"Don't worry about him. If you don't love the name, then I can easily come up with another."

He might have already accepted the name, but I needed to show some compassion because there was a limit to how much fusion compatibility could be increased through intimidation.

I didn't need to be a genius to realise that.

CR1 slightly trembled under my touch.

The fusion compatibility had taken effect.

CR1 nodded.

"Love it." He slightly rubbed his body against my palm.

He was learning how to speak.

The difference between him and Felix was that the latter had been captured and had spent some time among humans, making it easier for him to pick up the language after his transformation.

The former, however, would also get used to it, but it would take some time.

[ Fusion Compatibility: +10% ]

It had increased to 30 per cent in such a short time.

A cybernetic beast was way more intelligent than a normal magical beast, so as long as I played my part right, CR1's fusion compatibility could continue to steadily increase at this pace.

I took the opportunity to summon the CR1 profile.

My assumptions were correct.

When I had transformed its left hind leg, its strength was at 10 per cent of the First Rank, indicating that it was still an early-stage magical beast.

However, after his enhancement, it had jumped to 40 per cent, indicating that it was now a Mid-stage first rank Lesser magical beast.

That was five times its previous strength.

I gained another understanding of how Fusion Synchronisation functioned.

I read the descriptions of its enhancements one by one.

[ Enhancements: Spring coil pistons (Hing legs.)

Function: Enables short-range burst dashes.

Special Function: Can deliver a 'Shock Stomp' on landing to create a concussive blast in a 1m radius. ]

I hadn't seen a special function in its previous enhancements.

Was it because I had transformed both legs? Or perhaps transformed its entire body?

Still, the special function made up for its lack of unique abilities and exceptional skills that Felix possessed.. Otherwise, he would have just been a slightly improved magical beast with a cybernetic enhancement.

I moved on to the next.

[ Enhancement: Razorclaw Servo System (Forelimbs)

Function: Slices through light armour and low-tier magical barriers

Special Function: Blades can vibrate at a high frequency, increasing penetration. ]

[ Enhancement: Predator Bite Module (Fangs)

Function: Alloy-fused fangs with micro-drill tips and venom injectors (modular for poison or paralytic).

Special Function: Perices through reinforced plating; injects chosens agent directly into the target's bloodstream. ]

[ Enhancements: Targeting Visor Overlar (eyes).

Function: Cybernetic optical lens that improves eyesight.

Special Function: Enhanced night vision, detects heat signatures, and predicts the target's trajectory. ]

[ Enhancement: Adaptive armour (Skin)

Function: Reduces cutting and piercing damage.

Special Function: Can briefly blend into the surroundings' shadows for 4 to 5 seconds. ]

The special functions were unexpected.

If I had fought against Sabre-tooth rabbits like this at the beginning of the academy, then I would have ended up in the hospital several more times than usual and in a much severe state.

I realised a problem.

I couldn't fuse with CR1 because I didn't have the 'Cybernetic integration' skill, and neither did it.

The only way I could fuse with CR1 was through Felix.

I was tempted to forge a beast contract with it and gain another cybernetic beast, but I quickly held back.

It wasn't worth it.

The potential of a magical beast was still valuable because it determined the number and kind of skills the beast would awaken after it was transformed into a Cybernetic beast.

Due to my limited resources, I couldn't afford to select any magical beasts and enhance their strength through cybernetic integration.

I added Cybernetic Integration to the list of things I hoped for, once, my talent and system were fully unsealed.

I didn't think about integrating Felix with CR1 now because his fusion compatibility was too low.

I checked the time and realised that I had been asleep for thirty minutes.

The average time for mana exhaustion was an hour, or a day, depending on how it happened, but the mine was half that.

"Do you have any family members?"

I realised how weird that sentence sounded the moment it escaped my lips.

CR1 trembled.

I sensed his fear and hesitation.

"Coughh! I meant, do you have families that you can say goodbye to? Because we'll be leaving this forest soon, and won't be returning for a while?" I asked.

"Also, do you think any of them won't mind being transformed into your current form?"

I planned to transform as many Sabre-tooth rabbits as I could into cybernetic beasts.

Due to their population, I doubted that anyone would notice.

They were my best bet for building a disposable force at the moment.

And I could test the upgrades on them before applying them to Felix.

What they lacked in potential, they could make up for their numbers.

"Yes, families... Many will.. come.."

CR1 nodded and hopped around energetically.

[ Fusion Compatibility: +5% ]

Strange!

I couldn't help but feel like a villain in a children's story book.

"Let's go then. Lead the way."

CR1 nodded.

"Come.."

CR1 turned around and hopped away into the bushes.

He peeked his head out and gestured for us to follow him with his elongated forelimbs.

Felix transformed into his jet mode and arrived before me.

"Hop on, master," he said.

I nodded and climbed on his back.

Felix's engine hummed silently as he soared, trailing behind CR1.

**

It took twenty minutes before we arrived at CR1's home.

It was a burrow - a system of underground tunnels.

According to CR1, he lived here with his wife, brothers, sisters, and their families.

They had moved here after their previous hideout was destroyed by some students who were trying to complete their tasks.

Many of his family members were killed.

I could only show compassion as he shared the story in bits and pieces.

I didn't have the moral high ground to seek revenge because I had also used such a tactic to complete tasks when I was still hunting Sabre-tooth rabbits.

And my intentions for him weren't exactly pure.

I hadn't expected that a Sabre-tooth rabbit learning to speak would create such a moral dilemma.

I wanted to ask Felix whether he remembered his life before he was captured, but I quickly changed my mind.

We encountered a dilemma on how CR1 would face his family in his current form. Freightened, they had fled at a moment's notice when they saw him.

Felix had managed to block their knock them out, and capture all of them.

They were about twenty-three.

I didn't plan on transforming all of them.

Only a few.

I needed to return to the dorm to prepare for my training regime and also obtain more information about the Zahara Clans' descendants' schemes.

I also didn't know what Fredric's plans were.

I had to be one step ahead, otherwise I could fall for another one of their schemes.

After a brief discussion, we reached a consensus.